Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 2026

1. What The Barrier Does

The Barrier is a Chrome extension that analyzes job listings for scam patterns, ghost jobs, and exploitative hiring practices. It works by:

• Reading job listing text on supported platforms (LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, Naukri, Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, Workable)
• Sending that text to our AI service to generate a risk score and plain-language explanation
• Displaying the results directly in your browser

The extension only activates on job listing pages. It does not run on Gmail, social media, banking sites, or any other websites.

2. What We Collect (And Why)

Job listing text (temporary, not stored)

• We extract the text content of job descriptions to analyze them for red flags
• This text is sent to our AI provider for analysis
• The full job description is not permanently stored — only the analysis result is cached

Analysis cache (stored temporarily)

• After analyzing a job, we cache the risk score and summary so we don't re-analyze the same listing repeatedly
• Cached data includes: job platform, job ID, risk score, AI-generated summary, timestamp
• Cache expires when community reports reach a threshold or after a set period

Anonymous device identifier (local only)

• A randomly generated ID stored in your browser's localStorage
• Used only to prevent duplicate community reports from the same browser
• Never linked to your name, email, or identity
• You can clear it anytime by clearing browser storage

Community reports (anonymous)

• When you report a job listing, we store the job URL identifier and timestamp
• No personal information is attached to reports

Email address (optional, only for beta waitlist)

• Only collected if you voluntarily submit it through our website
• Never required to use the extension
• Stored in Brevo (our email service provider)
• Used only to send beta invites and product updates

3. What We DO NOT Collect

4. Chrome Extension Permissions (Explained)

The Barrier requests the following Chrome permissions. Here's why:

• "Read and change data on supported job sites" — This allows us to extract job listing text from pages you visit on LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, etc. We only read job listing content, not your personal data or activity on those sites.
• "Storage" — Used to save your anonymous device ID locally and cache analysis results so the extension works faster.
• "Active tab" — Allows the extension to detect when you're viewing a job listing so it can run the analysis.

We do NOT request permissions for:

• Your browsing history
• All websites (only specific job platforms)
• Clipboard access
• Microphone or camera

5. How Data Is Processed

Real-time analysis (not stored permanently):

• When you view a job listing, the extension extracts the text
• The text is sent to our backend API hosted on Vercel
• Our backend sends the text to a third-party AI service for analysis
• The AI returns a risk score and explanation in plain language
• The result is cached in Supabase and displayed to you
• The full job description is not stored — only the analysis result

Third-party services we use:

• AI provider — Job listing text is sent to an AI API to generate risk analysis. Only job content is sent — no personal user data.
• Supabase — Community reports and analysis cache are stored here. Supabase is a secure, privacy-focused database provider.
• Vercel — Our backend API is hosted on Vercel's serverless infrastructure.
• Brevo — Email addresses from the beta waitlist are stored in Brevo for sending updates.

6. Data Retention

• Job analysis cache — Stored until community reports reach a threshold, then refreshed. Old entries are cleared periodically.
• Community reports — Stored indefinitely to maintain accurate per-job report counts.
• Email addresses — Retained until you request removal.

7. We Do Not Sell Your Data

The Barrier does not sell, rent, share, or trade any user data — anonymous or otherwise — to third parties for commercial purposes. Ever.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Request removal of your email address from our beta list
• Clear your local device ID at any time through your browser settings
• Uninstall the extension at any time — no data remains on your device after uninstall

To exercise any of these rights, email us at support@thebarrier.co and we will respond within 7 days.

9. Children's Privacy

The Barrier is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect information from minors.

10. Changes to This Policy

If this policy changes in a meaningful way, we will update the date at the top of this page and notify beta users by email where applicable.

11. Contact

Questions about this policy? Reach us at:

support@thebarrier.co