The Short Version
Everything GuideBot handles stays in your browser — until you decide to send it to an AI provider.
Data Stored & How It's Used
GuideBot stores data exclusively in Chrome's local storage on your device. Nothing is transmitted to GoManzanas or any third party except when you explicitly generate a guide.
All data lives in chrome.storage.local — Chrome's sandboxed, on-device storage. It is never synced to Chrome Sync, never uploaded to GoManzanas, and never accessible to anyone other than the GuideBot extension on your device.
| What's Stored | Why | Persisted? |
|---|---|---|
| API keys | Authenticate requests to your chosen AI provider (Anthropic, Gemini, or OpenRouter). Stored per-provider so you only enter each key once. | Yes — until you clear Settings |
| Selected provider | Remembers which AI provider you last used so your preference is restored on the next session. | Yes |
| Captured steps | The list of steps you've recorded in the current guide session — including screenshot data URLs and page context (title, URL). | Yes — until you click Clear or generate a new session |
| Generated guide text & guide name | The AI-generated markdown and your session's guide name, stored so the preview tab can display and export them. If you edit the guide in Edit mode, the updated text is saved back locally. | Session-length — overwritten on next generation |
| Clarify mode preference | A boolean (on/off) recording whether the Ask Clarifying Questions feature is enabled. No question content or answers are stored — only the preference toggle. | Yes — until changed in Settings |
Data we do NOT collect
- No names, email addresses, or personal identifiers
- No payment or financial information
- No health or biometric data
- No data transmitted to GoManzanas servers (we operate none)
- No analytics, crash reports, or usage telemetry
- No advertising IDs or tracking cookies
Third-Party AI Providers
When you click Generate, GuideBot sends your step data directly from your browser to the AI provider you've selected. GoManzanas is not an intermediary.
GuideBot supports three AI providers. You choose which one to use and supply your own API key. The data sent when you generate a guide includes:
- The title and URL of each captured step
- The screenshot image of each step (as a base64-encoded JPEG)
- Your annotation overlays baked into the screenshot
- Any clarifying answers you provided (if Ask Clarifying Questions is enabled and you answered questions)
If Ask Clarifying Questions is enabled, a preliminary request is made to the AI provider before the main generation call. This pre-pass sends the same screenshot data and asks the AI to return a JSON list of ambiguous steps. No additional personal data is included. This results in two API calls to your provider rather than one.
This data is sent directly to the selected provider's public API endpoint. It is governed entirely by that provider's own privacy policy and terms of service:
| Provider | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|
| Anthropic (Claude) | anthropic.com/legal/privacy |
| Google Gemini | policies.google.com/privacy |
| OpenRouter | openrouter.ai/privacy |
Chrome Permissions Explained
GuideBot declares the following permissions in its manifest. Here is exactly why each one is needed.
| Permission | Why GuideBot Needs It |
|---|---|
activeTab |
Take a screenshot of the tab you are currently viewing when you click Capture Step. Access is granted momentarily at the time of capture — GuideBot cannot access tabs you haven't interacted with. |
storage |
Read and write your API keys, provider preference, and in-progress step data to chrome.storage.local so your session persists across popup opens. |
tabs |
Read the active tab's title and URL when a step is captured, so the AI has accurate context for writing the guide instructions. |
scripting |
Inject the capture listener into the active tab to detect where on the page you clicked, enabling step-accurate context for each guide entry. |
"matches": ["<all_urls>"] so it can activate on any page you're documenting. However, the script only captures a screenshot and click context when you actively trigger a capture — it does not monitor or record your browsing passively.
Children's Privacy
GuideBot is a productivity tool intended for general audiences. It is not directed at children under 13.
GuideBot does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. The extension stores no names, ages, or identifiable personal data from any user. If you believe a child has used GuideBot to capture sensitive content, you can clear all stored data by clicking Clear in the extension or by uninstalling it — either action permanently removes all local data.
If you have concerns, contact us at extensions@gomanzanas.com.
Changes to This Policy
We will update this policy if GuideBot's data practices change.
If we make material changes — for example, if a future version of GuideBot introduces optional cloud syncing — we will update this page with a new effective date and clearly describe what changed. We will not introduce any data collection without disclosing it here first.
The current version of this policy applies to GuideBot v1.1 (which introduced clarifying questions and in-preview editing) and later versions until superseded.
Contact Us
Questions, concerns, or requests about this privacy policy.
GoManzanas publishes and maintains GuideBot. If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how GuideBot handles data on your device, reach out:
| Channel | Details |
|---|---|
| extensions@gomanzanas.com | |
| Publisher | GoManzanas |
| Chrome Web Store | Use the "Support" tab on the GuideBot store listing |