Privacy Policy

Ask Duck.ai Browser Extension

Last updated: September 15, 2026

1. Summary

Ask Duck.ai is a browser extension that lets you invoke Duck.ai actions (explain, translate, summarize, debug code, etc.) on any selected text or webpage. The extension is open-source, privacy-by-default, and designed to minimize data exposure at every layer.

This privacy policy explains what data the extension accesses, how it processes that data, and the choices you have. The extension complies with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations by design — because it simply does not collect personal data.

2. What We Collect

Nothing. The Ask Duck.ai extension does not collect any personal information from you. Specifically:

• No accounts, no login, no email addresses
• No IP addresses are logged or stored
• No browsing history is tracked
• No analytics or telemetry are sent to us
• No device fingerprints are collected
• No advertising identifiers are read

The extension's sendUsageTelemetry setting exists in the code but is permanently set to false — it is never enabled, and no telemetry code path is ever executed.

3. What We Do Not Collect

To be explicit, the following are NOT collected, transmitted, or stored by the extension:

Data Type	Collected?	Explanation
Personally identifiable information	No	No name, email, address, phone, or identifiers
Browsing history	No	Page URLs are only read when you invoke an action
Search queries	No	Only the text you explicitly select is processed
Form data	No	Form fields are never read
Cookies	No	The extension does not read or set cookies
System information	No	No OS, hardware, or browser version data is collected
Location data	No	Geolocation is never accessed

4. How the Extension Works

When you select text on a webpage and click the floating Duck.ai button (or use the context menu, popup, or keyboard shortcut), the following happens:

1. Your selected text is read locally by the extension's content script
2. A prompt is built by combining your selected text with the action's instruction (e.g., "Translate this into English:")
3. The prompt is stored temporarily in the browser's local storage, indexed by a random ID
4. A Duck.ai tab is opened (or reused if one is already open) with a URL like https://duck.ai/#p=<random-id>
5. The Duck.ai injector content script reads the prompt from local storage, fills it into Duck.ai's chat input, and (optionally) auto-submits
6. The prompt is immediately deleted from local storage after injection

At no point does your selected text pass through any server controlled by the extension developers. The text travels directly from the webpage → to the browser's local storage → to Duck.ai's servers.

5. Duck.ai Relationship

Ask Duck.ai is an independent, unofficial extension. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by DuckDuckGo.

The extension uses DuckDuckGo's public Duck.ai web interface (available at https://duck.ai/) to process your prompts. When Duck.ai responds to your prompt:

• Your selected text is sent to DuckDuckGo's servers for AI processing
• DuckDuckGo's privacy policy applies to this data transmission
• We recommend reviewing DuckDuckGo's Duck.ai Privacy Terms

From time to time, Duck.ai may show a CAPTCHA challenge ("Unfortunately, bots use DuckDuckGo too"). This is DuckDuckGo's anti-bot measure — the extension has no control over it. When a CAPTCHA appears, the extension waits for you to solve it, then automatically injects the prompt.

6. Permissions Explained

The extension requests the following permissions. Each is necessary for the extension to function, and each is explained in plain language:

Permission	Why It's Needed
storage	To save your settings (theme, language, shortcuts) and temporarily hold prompts between tabs. All data is stored locally on your device — never on a server.
contextMenus	To add "Ask Duck.ai" entries to the right-click menu so you can invoke actions on selected text.
activeTab	To read the text you've selected on the current page when you click the toolbar icon or use a keyboard shortcut. Only triggered by your explicit action.
scripting	On Chromium browsers, to dynamically inject the floating button content script on pages where you select text. Only activated after you grant optional permission.
tabs	To open or reuse the Duck.ai tab when you invoke an action. The extension reads tab URLs only to check if a Duck.ai tab is already open.
clipboardWrite	To copy the prompt to your clipboard as a fallback if direct injection into Duck.ai fails.
notifications	To show desktop notifications when a prompt is delivered or an error occurs. No notification content is sent anywhere.
downloads	To let you export your settings and custom prompts as a backup file. You choose where to save it.
host_permissions: https://duck.ai/*	So the Duck.ai injector content script can run on duck.ai pages and fill in the chat input.
optional_host_permissions: <all_urls>	On Chromium, so the floating button can appear on any webpage. This is OPTIONAL — you grant it explicitly, and can revoke it at any time in Settings.

7. Local Data Storage

All data the extension stores is kept in your browser's local storage (browser.storage.local). This data never leaves your device except when explicitly sent to Duck.ai as part of a prompt.

The following data is stored locally:

Data	Purpose	Retention
Settings	Your preferences (theme, language, shortcuts, floating button on/off, etc.)	Until you uninstall the extension or reset settings
Custom prompts	Your user-defined prompt templates in "My Prompts"	Until you delete them or uninstall
Recent actions	The last 5 actions you used (for the Quick Actions bar)	Rolling — oldest is removed when 6th action is added
Pending prompts	Temporarily holds the prompt text between the source tab and the Duck.ai tab	Deleted immediately after injection (seconds)
Conversation history	Optional — disabled by default. If you enable it, stores a local list of Duck.ai conversation titles	Up to 50 conversations, then oldest is removed
Last seen release	The version number of the last update notification you saw	Until next version bump

To clear all extension data at any time: open Settings → Privacy → "Clear all data". You can also clear it via your browser's extension management page.

8. Third-Party Services

The extension interacts with the following third-party services:

• Duck.ai (duck.ai) — Your selected text is sent to DuckDuckGo's Duck.ai service when you invoke an action. DuckDuckGo's privacy terms apply to this transmission.
• Buy Me a Coffee (buymeacoffee.com) — If you click the "Buy Me a Coffee" button, you are taken to buymeacoffee.com. Their privacy policy applies. No data is shared between the extension and this service.

The extension does NOT use any of the following:

• Google Analytics or any analytics service
• Advertising networks
• Social media trackers
• Error reporting services (e.g., Sentry)
• CDN-hosted libraries (all code is bundled)

9. Children's Privacy

The extension is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect any data from anyone, regardless of age. If you believe a child has interacted with the extension and have concerns, you can clear all data via Settings → Privacy → "Clear all data".

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
• Bump the extension version number
• Show a one-time update notification banner in the toolbar popup

The current version of this privacy policy is always available at https://monessem.github.io/Ask-Duck.ai/privacy.html.

11. Contact

This extension is open-source. The source code is available at github.com/Monessem/Ask-Duck.ai.

If you have questions about this privacy policy or the extension, you can:

• Open an issue on GitHub Issues
• Use the in-extension Support page (Settings → Support tab)

Since we don't collect any data, there is no need for a data deletion request — simply uninstall the extension and all local data is removed automatically.