Is Seal-iously safe to install?

What data it declares

The developer declares that it collects these kinds of data:

• Website content such as text, images or links on the pages you open

The developer also certifies that your data is not sold to third parties outside approved uses, not used for purposes unrelated to the extension's core function, and not used to decide creditworthiness or lending.

The listing links to a privacy policy.

This is the developer's own declaration in the Chrome Web Store. We cannot check it against what the extension does.

What Chrome asks you to allow

When you add it, Chrome asks you to allow it to:

• Read and change your data on news.ycombinator.com
• Read your browsing history

Derived from the manifest by Chrome's documented rules; the dialog's exact wording depends on your Chrome version and language. Chrome asks again if an update requests more.

What it can reach

Specific sites only: 2 match patterns.

• https://news.ycombinator.com/* only news.ycombinator.com
• http://news.ycombinator.com/* only news.ycombinator.com

Reaches your browsing data or every site

• See the address and title of every tab you have open tabs

Worth knowing

• Run its own code on the pages it can access scripting

Routine for an extension

• Act on the current tab, but only after you click it activeTab

How usual this is for its category

In Productivity · Tools, 20% of extensions ask for access to every site. This one: Access to specific sites only.

The typical extension there declares 3 browser permissions; this one declares 3 browser permissions.

• See the address and title of every tab you have open (tabs): 28% of extensions in this category ask for it.

Counted over the live extensions of the same category after our latest full pass of the store. A share is context, not a verdict: what is normal depends on what the extension is for.

Who uses it and how it is kept up

25 users

• Not updated in the store for over a year: the last update was on 2023-11-02.
• No new version in the last 90 days.

What the store shows

• Featured The store's badge for extensions that follow its recommended practices for Chrome extensions.

Has it asked for more over time?

This is the question a permission list on its own cannot answer. An extension that shipped narrow and widened later is a different proposition from one that always asked for the same thing.

The permissions this extension requests have not changed since we started watching it.

Who publishes it

Yash Pathak, who publishes 2 listings we track. This listing has been in the store since 2023-10-28 and was last updated on 2023-11-02.

Similar extensions that ask for less

Listings close to this one in what they say they do, which declare less reach. Less reach is not a verdict on either: compare what each needs for the job.

1. Hacker News - Sticky Comments No permissions at all · No permissions declared 3 users (last published figure)
2. Hacker News X2 No site access · 1 permission 6 users
3. HN Microfix No site access · 1 permission 3 users (last published figure)

How to check or remove it in Chrome

1. Type chrome://extensions in the address bar and find the extension in the list.
2. Open its details. The site access setting shows where it can run; set it to run only on click and it reaches a page only after you press its icon.
3. To uninstall it, choose Remove on the same page.

Questions people ask

What can Seal-iously access?

Specific sites only: 2 match patterns. It declares 3 browser permissions.

What data does Seal-iously collect?

The developer declares that it collects these kinds of data: Website content. This is the developer's own declaration in the Chrome Web Store. We cannot check it against what the extension does.

Has Seal-iously asked for more permissions over time?

The permissions this extension requests have not changed since we started watching it.

Does Seal-iously publish a privacy policy?

Yes, the store listing links to a privacy policy.