Legal · PHQ‑9 Check‑In

Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 24, 2026

PHQ‑9 Check‑In ("the extension") is a Chrome browser extension that lets you complete the PHQ‑9 depression screening questionnaire from the side panel and, if you choose, save your results for your own reference. This policy explains what data the extension handles and how.

In short: the extension does not collect, transmit, or sell any personal or health data. Everything you enter stays in your own browser, on your own device.

1. What data the extension handles

The extension processes the following information, entirely on your device:

Data	What it is	Where it goes
Your answers to the 9 PHQ‑9 items	Numeric responses (0–3) you select while taking the check‑in	Held in memory during the session; written to local storage only if you tap "Save result"
Functional‑difficulty answer	Your answer to the standard follow‑up question about daily impact	Same as above
Saved check‑in history	Date, total score, severity band, and item answers for each check‑in you choose to save	`chrome.storage.local`, scoped to this extension and your Chrome profile

2. Where your data is stored

Saved results are written to chrome.storage.local, a storage area provided by Chrome that lives only on your device and only within this extension. The extension has no backend server, and no saved data is synced to any external service by the extension itself.

3. What the extension does not do

It does not send your answers, scores, or history to any server, developer, or third party.
It does not use analytics, telemetry, or crash‑reporting services.
It does not include advertising or ad‑tracking code.
It does not sell, rent, or share your data, because it never leaves your device.
It does not require an account, sign‑in, or any personally identifying information.

4. Permissions the extension requests

Permission	Why it's needed
`storage`	To save your check‑in history locally so you can review it later, entirely on‑device.
`sidePanel`	To display the questionnaire and history in Chrome's side panel instead of a popup or new tab.

5. Sensitive information

PHQ‑9 responses relate to mental health and are sensitive by nature. Because all processing and storage happen locally, this data is only as accessible as your Chrome profile itself — it is subject to the same protections (device lock, OS user account, Chrome profile) as any other locally stored browser data, and is never transmitted anywhere by the extension.

6. Your control over your data

Export: the History tab lets you export your saved results as a plain‑text file at any time.
Delete individual entries: each saved result can be removed from the History tab.
Clear everything: the "Clear all" action removes all saved history immediately.
Uninstall: removing the extension deletes its local storage, including any saved history, permanently.

7. Children's privacy

The extension is not directed at children and does not knowingly collect information from children, since it does not collect information from anyone in the first place — all data stays on the device where it was entered.

8. Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, an updated version will be published with a new "Last updated" date above. Material changes will be reflected in the extension's store listing.

Questions about this policy can be sent to formatron.service@gmail.com