Web Summary

Legal, privacy & permissions · Last updated: 2026-06-15

1. Overview

Web Summary (Chrome Web Store name: A · Web Summary) is a browser extension that helps you decide whether to keep reading the active tab—then summarizes it using your own Google Gemini API key (BYOK — bring your own key).

There is no Web Summary backend server. The extension runs in your browser (side panel) and talks directly to Google’s Gemini API when you choose to summarize.

Single purpose: help you decide whether to read the current web page tab and summarize it for you.

2. Privacy Policy

What we do not collect or store

We do not collect, log, or store:

  • Page text or URLs you summarize
  • Generated summaries
  • Usage analytics tied to your browsing

What stays on your device

The only data the extension may persist locally is your Gemini API key (if you save it in Settings) and your side panel UI language (English or 中文). Both are stored in chrome.storage.local on this browser only.

What is sent to third parties

When you tap Summarize this tab, article text is sent directly from your browser to Google’s Gemini API using your API key. We do not receive a copy of that content.

That processing is governed by Google’s Privacy Policy and Gemini API terms.

Page access

A content script is injected only when you request a summary on the active http(s) tab, to extract readable text. It does not stay active on every page for background summarization.

Summary results

Results (read/skip verdict, three-line summary, full summary) appear in the side panel only and are not saved by the extension. Closing the panel or browser clears them from the UI.

3. Terms of Use

  • Your API key: You are responsible for obtaining, securing, and managing your Gemini API key. Anyone with your key can use your Google AI quota.
  • Costs & quota: Summaries consume your Gemini API usage (free or paid tier per Google AI Studio). We do not bill you.
  • AI output: Summaries are machine-generated. Verify important facts yourself; do not rely on them for legal, medical, or financial decisions.
  • Acceptable use: Use the extension in compliance with Google’s terms and applicable law. Do not submit content you are not allowed to process.
  • As-is: The extension is provided without warranties. We may update or discontinue it at any time.
Keep your API key private. Do not share screenshots or recordings while the key is visible in Settings.

4. Third-Party Services

Service Purpose Policy
Google Gemini API Generate read/skip verdicts and summaries from page text you send Google Privacy
Google AI Studio Where you create and manage your API key (external site) AI Studio

Web Summary is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google.

This extension also includes open-source software. License texts are listed in Third-Party Notices (not part of the privacy policy above).

5. Permissions (Chrome)

The extension requests only what it needs:

Permission Why
sidePanel Show the summarizer UI in Chrome’s side panel
storage Save your Gemini API key and UI language locally (optional)
activeTab + scripting Run extraction on the active tab when you click Summarize
http://*/*, https://*/* Host access to inject the reader script on the current http(s) tab from the side panel (required because side-panel clicks do not grant activeTab alone)
tabs Open the setup guide (welcome) and Settings tabs
generativelanguage.googleapis.com Call the Gemini API with your key

Keyboard shortcut (default Alt+Shift+S): customize at chrome://extensions/shortcuts.

6. Data & Limits

  • Only http(s) pages with enough readable text can be summarized.
  • Long pages: only the first portion of extracted text (about 8,000 characters) is sent to the model; the UI notes when content was truncated.
  • Requires Chrome 114+ (Side Panel API).

7. Contact

For privacy or policy questions, contact the publisher listed on the Chrome Web Store listing, or open an issue in the project repository.