Your writing stays under your control.
Effective October 14, 2026. This policy covers the True Author — Writing Audit Chrome extension and its optional connection to the True Author desktop app.
What recording observes
Recording is off until you enable it in the extension. When enabled, it reads supported writing fields and Google Docs document text, observes typing and edit activity, and processes copied or pasted text with source titles, URLs and citation details where available. This information is used to build document previews, source highlights and writing histories. It does not scan your browser history or read arbitrary page content for unrelated purposes.
Supported writing fields on permitted sites may be captured automatically while recording is on. Password fields and recognized sensitive sites or forms are excluded where detected. These safeguards cannot identify every sensitive document: pause recording or exclude a site before working on material you do not want recorded.
Where information is stored
Browser audits, original pasted passages, document titles and identifiers are saved in this Chrome profile using local extension storage. They are not synced through Chrome Sync and True Author does not encrypt that browser storage. Recent copy matching uses hashes and source metadata retained for up to 30 minutes, with at most 200 recent copies. Unmatched paste observations may briefly include copied text while matching occurs. Browser audits remain until you delete them or remove the extension; paused documents remain saved.
Optional desktop and cloud connections
The extension works without an account or desktop pairing. When recording is enabled, the extension automatically detects the Windows app. After you approve the connection once in Windows, it reconnects automatically. No pairing code is needed. With that approval, selected document snapshots, input observations and copy-source metadata can pass to that app through an authenticated loopback connection on this PC. That connection is not exposed to the local network. The desktop stores its audit recovery using Windows account encryption.
If you link the desktop to a True Author account, the desktop sends minimized audit metadata to trueauthor.io: device and document identifiers, timestamps, text fingerprints, passage ranges, activity counts, recording gaps, source provider names and source domains. This sync does not include manuscript text, original pasted text or full source URLs. Cloud retention and sharing follow the controls on your account and audit pages. Browser-only audits are not currently uploaded by this extension.
Use, sharing and access
True Author uses captured information only to provide writing audit features. It is not sold, used for advertising, sent to AI models or used to train AI models. The extension contains no advertising or third-party analytics SDK. It does not transmit captured content to external services in standalone mode. Normal document access uses the website you are already using, such as Google Docs’ own text export. Opening help or privacy links visits trueauthor.io and is subject to that website’s normal hosting logs.
True Author complies with the Chrome Web Store User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. Captured browsing activity is used only for the writing audit features described here and in the extension. True Author personnel do not routinely access local audits. If you choose to send a support example, provide only information you intend to share.
Your choices
Use the popup to enable, pause or resume recording, exclude or allow the current site, stop tracking a document, or delete saved browser audits and recent copy history. Disabling capture does not delete prior audits. Browser deletion does not delete desktop or cloud copies. Manage those separately in the desktop and account controls. Uninstalling removes the extension’s local storage from that profile.
Audits show observed activity and coverage limits. They do not prove authorship or establish that a document is entirely human-written. Only use recording where you have permission to process the document and its sources.
Support and changes
True Author provides this extension. Read support and deletion instructions. Material changes to capture practices require an updated disclosure and consent before recording under those practices.