uBlock Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 7, 2024

This Privacy Policy describes uBlock’s information practices for its website and browser extension. Please read this policy carefully. When it comes to your personal information, most of this policy applies to users who choose to donate to support uBlock.

What is personal information?

The purpose of data protection is to protect personal information. Personal information means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person ("data subject"). An identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular, by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person. This information includes, for example, details such as name and email address, but also information in connection with payments.

Information uBlock collects

Personal information

When you visit the uBlock website we collect IP address, unique ID, logging of some of the button clicks on our website (clicking download, for example) and user event logging data.

uBlock uses MoEngage to run donation campaigns and first run page. uBlock collects and shares extension ID, metadata associated with the request such as network geo-location, language, user-agent and additional meta data associated with the message such as type of message to optimise performance in running campaigns. To learn more about MoEngage's data collection policies, please consult their respective privacy policies.

Anonymous information

The uBlock extension captures anonymous usage information including the version number of the extension, preferred language, and browser and operating system type. The uBlock extension also assigns an anonymous, unique ID to each installation. We store this information on uBlock servers and we utilize this information to help us identify and fix potential issues with uBlock as well as to determine the performance of uBlock features. We will delete this information from our log files and databases as soon as we are no longer using it.

Server logs

Logs for general requests made to ublock.org or its infrastructure are kept for up to 180 days. These logs include the IP address, browser, operating system, and page address. We will anonymize the IP address by using a hash to encrypt this information and we will immediately delete the original IP address. This data is used to generate usage statistics as well as to investigate potential security issues. After 180 days, we will remove this information from our log files and databases.

Analytics

uBlock uses CloudFlare Analytics to aggregate information about traffic patterns and how our website and extension are used. We use this info only to improve our extension and website. You can find information about CloudFlare Analytics’ data collection practices, as well as its privacy policy here.

Error Reporting with Sentry

uBlock utilizes the Sentry service for error reporting in order to identify and fix issues with the uBlock extension. Sentry collects information such as error messages, stack traces, and device information. However, no personally identifiable information (PII) is sent to Sentry as part of this process. The information collected by Sentry is used solely for the purpose of debugging and improving the functionality and performance of uBlock.

Sentry's data collection and processing practices are governed by its own privacy policy, which you can review here.

How uBlock processes and discloses collected information

We try to make uBlock better

We use the collected usage and analytics information to maintain and improve the uBlock extension, website and applications, to gain insight into how our services are being used, and in our efforts to prevent fraud. The information is only used internally.

Your information is not for sale

uBlock never has and never will sell your personal information to any third party without your consent. We sometimes share anonymized and aggregated information that cannot be associated with an individual with third parties or the public.

uBlock discloses personal information as required by law

uBlock cooperates with all valid United States law enforcement requests and court orders.

Data security

All personal and usage information that uBlock collects is stored in our databases and uBlock takes reasonable steps to keep it secure. That said, no database or server is 100% secure and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data in our system or while being transmitted over the Internet. Our best effort is given, but you use uBlock’s website and products at your own risk.

What is the legal basis?

We collect and process your personal information in compliance with the GDPR and the applicable EU laws.

Collection and processing is based on your consent:
Art. 6 (1) a GDPR, Art. 4 (11) GDPR

We will always ask for your consent to collect and process your personal information for the aforementioned specific purposes, unless the collection and processing of your personal information is permitted by statutory laws. Where you have provided us with your consent to the collection and processing of your personal information for the aforementioned specific purposes, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

Collection and processing is necessary for taking steps prior to enter into a contract: Art. 6 (1) b GDPR

The collection and processing of your personal information may be necessary for the performance of a contract to which you may be a party. Prior to entering into such contract, the collection and processing of your personal information may also be necessary in order to take steps at your request. This applies for installation and the use of our extension as well as any payment processing in connection with donations.

Collection and processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the Controller is subject: Art. 6 (1) c GDPR

Collection and processing of your personal information may be necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject under EU laws or the laws of a EU Member State.

Collection and processing is necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests: Art. 6 (1) f GDPR

The collection and processing of your personal information may be necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests. We collect and process server logs for technical reasons, such as, but not limited to, preventing denial of service attacks. Denial of service is typically accomplished by flooding the targeted machine or resource with superfluous requests in an attempt to overload systems and prevent some or all legitimate requests from being fulfilled. Preventing such overloads of our systems and any security issues by denial of service attacks is in your and our vital interest and therefore we use the website logs. We use information collected and processed via subscription downloads, extension update checks, emergency notifications and feedback data sent by you, for technical reasons, such as, but not limited to, ensuring the security of the extension version used by you. Ensuring the security of our extension is in your and our vital interest and therefore we use such data. Furthermore, we collect and process such data to ensure that our website and extension are constantly improved and adjusted to the changing requirements for an efficient usability and the technical environment. Ensuring the usability of our websites and of our extension is in your and our vital interest and therefore we use such data.

What rights do you have?

In compliance with the GDPR and the applicable EU laws and to the extent legally permitted, you have the following rights to protect your personal information collected and processed by us:

Information, access, rectification and restriction rights

Naturally you have the right to receive, upon request, information about the personal information stored by us about you and information about how we collect, process and store your personal information. Where that is the case, you have the right to gain access to such personal information stored by us. You have the right to request from us the rectification of your inaccurate personal information. Taking into account the purposes of collecting and processing your data, you have the right to have incomplete personal information completed. You have the right to request restriction of processing.

Right to data portability

You also have the right (1) to receive all personal information concerning you and which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and (2) to transmit that data to another controller.

Right to erasure of your data

You have the right to demand from us the erasure of your personal information, where – inter alia – one of the following grounds applies:

• If we no longer need your personal information for the aforementioned purposes.
• If you withdraw your consent on which the collection and processing is based and where there are no other legal grounds for the collection and processing.
• If you object to the collection and processing and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the collection and processing.

Please note, if data needs to be retained for legal purposes pursuant to Art. 17 (3) GDPR, we will restrict the use of the respective data.

Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement if you consider that the collection and processing of personal information relating to you infringes the GDPR.

Right to object to the processing of your data

You have the right to object at any time to the collection and processing of your personal information on grounds relating to your particular situation, when collection and processing is based on our legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) f GDPR).

Right to withdraw your consent at any time

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, when you have provided us with your consent to the collection and processing of your personal information for one or more specific purposes.

How to exercise your rights

To exercise your rights, please contact us [email protected].

Who is responsible for data collection and processing (contacts)?

Changes and updates to this policy

uBlock reserves the right to change this policy for any reason, and may make small, inconsequential changes to this policy with or without notice. Each time this policy is changed we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top of this page. Your continued use of the uBlock website or browser extension constitutes your agreement to this Privacy Policy and any revisions or updates.

Contact

You can always contact us with questions or feedback about our privacy policy at [email protected] or [email protected].