This policy is for the LumaCite Citation Generator Chrome extension. It covers what happens when you use the extension to create a citation from the page in front of you or from an identifier you enter.
What the extension reads
When you click the LumaCite extension, it temporarily checks the active tab for citation metadata. Depending on the page, that can include:
- the article or page title;
- authors and editors;
- publication date, journal, publisher, volume, issue, and page range;
- DOI, PMID, ISBN, arXiv ID, ISSN, and similar scholarly identifiers;
- the canonical page URL; and
- the abstract or description supplied in the page's structured metadata.
The extension looks for standard citation meta tags and structured data such as JSON-LD. It does not read passwords, cookies, private messages, or text entered into forms. It does not run in the background to watch your browsing.
What leaves the browser
To verify or complete a citation, the extension sends a single lookup value to the LumaCite citation service over HTTPS. That value is normally a DOI, PMID, ISBN, arXiv ID, or the canonical URL of the active page. If you type a title, identifier, or URL into the extension yourself, the text you enter is sent instead.
The extension does not send the full webpage, your cookies, your form entries, or your general browser history to LumaCite.
What stays on your device
The citation shown in the popup, any edits you make before copying or exporting it, and page metadata used as a local fallback stay in the extension while you work. LumaCite uses Chrome's local extension storage to remember your selected citation style. Citation Style Language files may also be cached locally so a style does not need to be downloaded again.
The extension does not keep a local history of the pages you cite.
How we use the information
We use the lookup value only to provide the feature you asked for: finding, checking, formatting, and returning citation metadata. We do not use it to create advertising profiles, personalize ads, determine creditworthiness, or make decisions about employment, housing, insurance, or access to services.
We do not sell personal information or browsing activity.
Services involved in a citation lookup
LumaCite's citation service consults public scholarly and bibliographic sources when needed. These can include Crossref, PubMed and other NCBI services, Europe PMC, DataCite, OpenAlex, Semantic Scholar, arXiv, Open Library, and Google Books. Only the identifier, title, or URL needed to perform the lookup is sent to the relevant service.
The extension also downloads citation-style definitions from the Citation Style Language project on GitHub. Those requests retrieve a style file; they do not include the webpage you are citing.
Our hosting and infrastructure providers process requests on our behalf so the service can operate securely. We may also disclose information when required by law or when reasonably necessary to protect the service and its users.
Retention and security
The citation resolver is a request-and-response service. It does not write your lookup value or returned citation to a LumaCite citation-history database. Routine infrastructure and security logs may contain technical request information for a limited period under the hosting provider's operational policies.
Lookup requests are sent over HTTPS. We limit the information sent to what is needed to resolve the citation.
Your choices
You control when the extension runs. You can choose not to open it on a page, enter an identifier manually instead of using the active page, or remove the extension from Chrome. Removing the extension also removes its locally stored settings from Chrome.
If you have a privacy question or want to ask about information connected with a citation lookup, contact us using the address below.
Chrome Web Store Limited Use
LumaCite's use of information received from Chrome APIs follows the Chrome Web Store User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. Information obtained through the extension is used only to provide or improve the citation feature the user requests. It is not transferred for advertising, sold to data brokers, or used for unrelated purposes.
People do not review extension data unless you ask us to investigate a specific support issue, access is necessary for security or abuse prevention, we are required to do so by law, or the information has been aggregated and anonymized for internal operations.
Contact
Questions about this policy or the LumaCite Citation Generator extension can be sent to lumaciteapp@gmail.com.