1. Who We Are
SpeedByGenre is developed by XAppNova and is available as a Chrome extension and as a Safari extension for macOS (distributed via the Mac App Store). Its sole purpose is to automatically adjust YouTube playback speed based on the video's content category (e.g., Music, Gaming, News). We operate no backend infrastructure and receive no data from users.
2. Data We Do Not Collect
We want to be explicit. SpeedByGenre does not collect, store, process, or transmit any of the following:
- Personal identifiers (name, email address, IP address, device ID)
- Browsing history or watch history
- YouTube account information or login state
- Video titles, URLs, or viewing duration
- Location data
- Crash reports or diagnostic telemetry
- Analytics or usage statistics of any kind
3. How the Extension Works
To perform its function, SpeedByGenre reads a small amount of data transiently and entirely within your browser. No data ever leaves your device.
| Data Accessed | Purpose | Stored? |
|---|---|---|
| Video category text (e.g., "Music", "Gaming") | Determines which speed rule to apply to the current video | No — read in-memory and discarded immediately |
| Your speed preferences per category | Applies your saved settings on the next YouTube visit | Yes — stored locally on your device, never transmitted to us |
Chrome: Preferences are saved in chrome.storage.sync. They may sync across your Chrome profiles via your Google account, under Google's own privacy terms — XAppNova has no access to this data.
Safari / macOS: Preferences are saved in chrome.storage.local (local to Safari) and in an App Group container on your Mac shared between the extension and the menu bar app. No sync to any external server occurs.
4. Permissions We Request and Why
SpeedByGenre requests only the minimum permissions required to function:
| Permission | Platform | Why It's Needed |
|---|---|---|
activeTab + host access to youtube.com |
Chrome & Safari | To read the video category from the page and control the YouTube video player on the active tab |
storage |
Chrome & Safari | To save and retrieve your speed preferences locally between browser sessions |
| App Sandbox + App Group | Safari (macOS) only | Allows the menu bar app and Safari extension to share speed preferences on-device. No data leaves your Mac. |
We do not request access to any other websites, your browsing history, bookmarks, cookies, or any other browser data beyond what is listed above.
5. Third-Party Services
SpeedByGenre does not integrate with, report to, or load resources from any third-party analytics, advertising, or tracking service. There are no embedded SDKs from Google Analytics, Firebase, Sentry, Mixpanel, or any similar platforms.
6. Data Security
Because we never transmit any data, there is no risk of a data breach originating from us. Your speed preferences are stored within your browser's own sandboxed storage and are subject to your browser's and operating system's security guarantees.
7. Children's Privacy
SpeedByGenre does not knowingly collect any information from anyone, including children under the age of 13. Because no data is collected at all, there is nothing to disclose under COPPA or similar child privacy regulations.
8. Changes to This Policy
If we ever change our data practices — for example, if a future version adds an optional cloud feature — we will update this policy with a new effective date and notify users via the Chrome Web Store listing and Mac App Store release notes. Any change that involves data collection will require your explicit opt-in.
9. Contact
Questions or concerns about this privacy policy? We're happy to answer.
Email: privacy@xappnova.com