Last updated: September 19, 2026
Hook Block is a Chrome extension that blocks distracting websites, social media feeds and short videos, keeps YouTube to the videos you choose, and can block adult websites. This policy explains what information it handles and where that information goes.
Hook Block has no account, no server and no analytics. Your settings and activity stay in your browser.
We don't sell, rent or share your information, and we don't use it for advertising or for anything unrelated to the extension's features.
Two features send limited information to Google: Focus Mode search (your search terms go to the YouTube Data API) and site icons (a site's domain name goes to Google's favicon service). Both are described below.
Hook Block saves the following in Chrome's extension storage on your device. The extension never sends it to us or to anyone else:
The sites you block, for how long or on what schedule, and a history of those blocks.
Your YouTube settings: saved playlists, Focus Mode and Whitelist Mode, the video you picked in Focus Mode, and how long you've watched in Focus Mode.
Focus Mode sessions and breaks, your focus preset, Commitment Lock sessions, your Block Feeds settings, and how many feed searches you've made today on Reddit, X and Facebook.
Adult-content protection: whether it's on, how many times today you've tried to get past an adult-site block, and a log of the times you chose to continue anyway (date, site and attempt number).
Display preferences, such as light or dark theme.
This information stays until you remove it or uninstall Hook Block, which deletes all of it.
To block sites and feeds, Hook Block needs to know which page a tab is opening. It checks page addresses (URLs) inside your browser as you browse, using Chrome's navigation and network-request APIs. On YouTube it also runs a small script that hides recommendations and enforces Focus Mode.
These checks happen on your device only. The addresses of pages you visit are not saved, except for the entries listed above (for example, a site you chose to block, or an adult site you chose to continue to), and the extension never sends them anywhere.
Focus Mode search (YouTube API Services). When you search in Focus Mode, Hook Block sends your search terms to the YouTube Data API, a Google service, to get results. It then sends the IDs of the returned videos to the same API to check their length, so it can leave out short videos. Result thumbnails load from YouTube's servers, and choosing a result opens that video on youtube.com. Hook Block does not sign you in to YouTube and never accesses your YouTube or Google account.
Hook Block uses YouTube API Services. By using Focus Mode search, you agree to be bound by the YouTube Terms of Service.
Google handles this information under the Google Privacy Policy.
Site icons. To show a site's icon in the popup and in your list of blocked sites, Hook Block requests it from Google's favicon service, which sends Google that site's domain name (for example, reddit.com).
Pages you choose to open. A search you make from one of Hook Block's feed pages opens that site's own search results (Reddit, X, Facebook or YouTube). If you choose to continue past an adult-site block, Hook Block opens a Google search for that site's name. These are ordinary visits to those websites and are covered by their own privacy policies.
All of these requests use HTTPS.
Permission
Why Hook Block needs it
Access to all websites
You can block any site, so Hook Block has to be able to act on whichever sites you choose.
declarativeNetRequest
Blocks or redirects the sites you've chosen.
webNavigation
Notices when a tab opens a blocked page, including in-page navigation on YouTube, Reddit, X and Facebook.
storage
Saves your settings on your device.
alarms
Runs the Focus Mode, break and Commitment Lock timers.
Incognito access (optional; you turn it on)
Adult-content protection only switches on once you allow Hook Block in incognito, so a private window can't be used to get around it.
Hook Block's use of information complies with the Chrome Web Store Developer Program Policies, including the User Data Policy's Limited Use requirements.
Hook Block does not collect personal information from anyone, including children.
If Hook Block starts handling information differently, this policy will be updated and the date at the top will change.
Questions about this policy: iomshendge@gmail.com