Homestake Helper — Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2026

This privacy policy describes how the Homestake Helper browser extension (“the Extension”) collects, uses, and protects your data.

What Data Is Collected

The Extension collects only two types of data, and only when you take explicit action:

  1. Current tab URL and title — When you click “Dig This Page,” the Extension reads the URL and title of your currently active browser tab. This information is used to open Homestake with the URL pre-filled for processing.
  2. Substack session cookie — When you click to extract your Substack cookie, or when Homestake requests it via the Extension, the Extension reads the substack.sid cookie from your browser. This cookie is used to authenticate with Substack so that Homestake can access your paid articles on your behalf.

How Data Is Used

  • Tab URLs are passed to the Homestake web application (app.homestake.app) via a URL parameter when you choose to dig a page. The URL is used to fetch and process the content. URLs are not stored by the Extension itself.
  • Substack session cookies are sent to Homestake servers to authenticate requests for paid Substack content. Cookies are stored encrypted on Homestake servers and are used solely for content retrieval on your behalf.

What Data Is NOT Collected

The Extension does not:

  • Monitor, record, or transmit your browsing history
  • Track which websites you visit
  • Collect any analytics or usage telemetry
  • Run any background tracking scripts
  • Share any data with third parties
  • Access cookies from any service other than Substack
  • Read any tab content — only the URL and title when you click “Dig This Page”
  • Collect personal information such as names, email addresses, or account details

Permissions Explained

  • activeTab — Allows reading the URL and title of the current tab when you click the Extension icon. This permission is scoped to only the tab you are actively viewing.
  • cookies — Required to read the Substack session cookie for paid article access.
  • storage — Used internally to track pending permission requests for custom Substack domains. No personal data is stored.
  • Host permissions for *.substack.com — Required to access Substack cookies.
  • Optional host permissions — When Homestake encounters a custom Substack domain, the Extension may request permission for that specific domain. You are always prompted before any permission is granted.

Data Storage and Security

  • The Extension itself does not persistently store any personal data, cookies, or URLs.
  • Substack session cookies transmitted to Homestake are stored encrypted on Homestake servers.
  • All communication between the Extension and Homestake servers occurs over HTTPS.
  • Cookies are used only for the purpose of accessing content you have authorized.

Data Retention

  • Tab URLs are not retained by the Extension after they are passed to Homestake.
  • Substack session cookies stored on Homestake servers are retained only as long as needed for content access and are subject to the Homestake platform's data retention policies.

Your Control

  • You can uninstall the Extension at any time to stop all data collection.
  • You can revoke custom domain permissions at any time through Chrome's extension settings.
  • You can clear your Substack cookie from Homestake through your account settings.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.

Contact

For questions or concerns about this privacy policy, contact us at:

Website: app.homestake.app

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