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Browser Extension Guide

The Ethikal browser extension is your personal privacy guardian, monitoring and blocking tracking attempts across the web in real-time.

Installation​

Supported Browsers​

  • Chrome - Version 88 or later
  • Firefox - Version 85 or later
  • Edge - Version 88 or later
  • Brave - Version 1.20 or later
  • Opera - Version 74 or later

Installing from the Extension Store​

Chrome & Edge​

  1. Visit the Chrome Web Store
  2. Search for "Ethikal Privacy Extension"
  3. Click Add to Chrome (or Add to Edge)
  4. Click Add Extension in the popup
  5. The Ethikal icon appears in your toolbar

Firefox​

  1. Visit Firefox Add-ons
  2. Search for "Ethikal Privacy Extension"
  3. Click Add to Firefox
  4. Click Add in the popup
  5. Grant requested permissions

Brave​

  1. Visit the Chrome Web Store (Brave supports Chrome extensions)
  2. Search for "Ethikal Privacy Extension"
  3. Click Add to Brave
  4. Confirm the installation

Manual Installation (Advanced)​

For the latest development version:

  1. Download the extension from GitHub releases
  2. Unzip the downloaded file
  3. Open your browser's extensions page:
    • Chrome: chrome://extensions
    • Firefox: about:addons
    • Edge: edge://extensions
  4. Enable Developer Mode
  5. Click Load Unpacked (Chrome/Edge) or Load Temporary Add-on (Firefox)
  6. Select the unzipped extension folder

First-Time Setup​

1. Welcome Screen​

When you first install the extension:

  1. A welcome tab opens automatically
  2. Click Get Started
  3. Review the privacy policy
  4. Click Continue

2. Account Connection​

Link the extension to your Ethikal account:

  1. Click Sign In to Ethikal
  2. You'll be redirected to the Ethikal platform
  3. Log in to your account
  4. Click Authorize Extension
  5. You'll be redirected back with confirmation

Note: The extension works without an account but with limited features. Connecting your account enables:

  • Cloud sync of settings
  • Privacy reports
  • Data value tracking
  • Cross-device protection

3. Choose Privacy Level​

Select your default protection level:

  • Maximum - Block everything (highest privacy)
  • Balanced - Good protection with usability (recommended)
  • Minimal - Basic protection only
  • Custom - Configure manually

You can change this anytime.

4. Grant Permissions​

The extension needs certain permissions to protect you:

Required Permissions:

  • webRequest: To monitor and block tracking requests
  • webRequestBlocking: To prevent trackers from loading
  • storage: To save your settings
  • tabs: To show protection stats per tab

Optional Permissions:

  • cookies: To manage tracking cookies
  • history: To analyze browsing patterns (local only)
  • webNavigation: For advanced protection

Using the Extension​

Extension Popup​

Click the Ethikal icon in your toolbar to see:

Current Site Protection​

🛡️ ethikal.com
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
✅ Protection: Active
🔒 Privacy Level: Balanced

📊 On This Page:
   Blocked: 12 trackers
   Allowed: 3 requests

🎯 Trackers:
   • Google Analytics (blocked)
   • Facebook Pixel (blocked)
   • Doubleclick (blocked)
   • Content Delivery (allowed)

Quick Actions​

  • Toggle Protection: Enable/disable for current site
  • Change Privacy Level: Adjust protection
  • View Details: See full tracking report
  • Report Issue: Flag problematic behavior

Toolbar Badge​

The extension icon shows a badge with:

  • Number: Count of blocked trackers on current page
  • Green: Protection active
  • Yellow: Partial protection
  • Red: Protection disabled
  • Gray: Not applicable (extension page, etc.)

Tracker Blocking​

Real-Time Blocking​

As you browse:

  1. Extension detects tracking attempts
  2. Blocks them based on your settings
  3. Updates the badge count
  4. Logs the event

Block Categories​

The extension blocks:

  • Analytics Trackers: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, etc.
  • Ad Trackers: DoubleClick, AdSense, etc.
  • Social Trackers: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn widgets
  • Fingerprinting Scripts: Canvas, WebGL, Audio API
  • Cryptominers: Cryptocurrency mining scripts
  • Malware: Known malicious domains

Per-Site Controls​

Adjust Protection for a Site​

  1. Visit the website
  2. Click the Ethikal icon
  3. Click Site Settings
  4. Adjust:
    • Privacy level for this site
    • Specific tracker rules
    • Cookie preferences
    • Script permissions
  5. Changes apply immediately

Whitelist a Site​

If a site breaks with protection:

  1. Click the Ethikal icon
  2. Click Disable Protection
  3. Choose:
    • Temporarily (until browser restart)
    • For This Session
    • Permanently
  4. Optionally choose what to allow:
    • Cookies only
    • Scripts only
    • All trackers

Report Broken Site​

If a site doesn't work properly:

  1. Click the Ethikal icon
  2. Click Report Issue
  3. Describe what's broken
  4. Submit the report
  5. Our team investigates
  6. You'll be notified of the fix

Advanced Features​

Custom Filter Lists​

Add your own blocking rules:

  1. Right-click the extension icon
  2. Select Options
  3. Go to Custom Filters
  4. Add rules in AdBlock Plus format:
! Block specific domain
||tracking-domain.com^

! Block URL pattern
||example.com/track/*

! Allow specific element
@@||trusted-site.com/analytics.js

! Hide element
example.com##.advertisement

Import/Export Settings​

Export Your Settings​

  1. Open extension options
  2. Go to Settings > Export
  3. Click Download Settings
  4. Save the JSON file

Import Settings​

  1. Open extension options
  2. Go to Settings > Import
  3. Click Choose File
  4. Select your saved JSON file
  5. Click Import

Sync Across Devices​

With an Ethikal account:

  1. Settings sync automatically
  2. Use the same protection everywhere
  3. Block lists stay updated
  4. Privacy reports consolidate

Extension Settings​

Privacy Settings​

Tracker Blocking:

  • Block all trackers
  • Block third-party trackers
  • Block cross-site trackers
  • Block first-party trackers

Cookie Management:

  • Block third-party cookies
  • Block all cookies
  • Clear cookies on close
  • Clear cookies on exit

Fingerprinting Protection:

  • Block canvas fingerprinting
  • Block WebGL fingerprinting
  • Block audio fingerprinting
  • Randomize browser signature

Advanced:

  • Strip tracking parameters from URLs
  • Block bounce tracking
  • Upgrade connections to HTTPS
  • Block all JavaScript (breaks sites)

Display Settings​

Badge:

  • Show tracker count
  • Show privacy level color
  • Animate on block

Notifications:

  • Notify on aggressive tracking
  • Notify on every block
  • Daily summary notification
  • Weekly report notification

Theme:

  • ( ) Light
  • (•) Dark
  • ( ) Auto (match browser)

Data Settings​

Storage:

  • Save tracking history (local)
  • Sync with Ethikal account
  • Export data weekly
  • Delete local history: [Delete]

Privacy:

  • Anonymize data before sync
  • Never send browsing history
  • Use encrypted storage
  • Paranoid mode (no analytics)

Troubleshooting​

Extension Not Working​

Solution:

  1. Click the extension icon
  2. Check if protection is enabled
  3. Try refreshing the page
  4. Check browser console for errors
  5. Restart your browser

Website Broken​

Solution:

  1. Check if trackers you need are blocked
  2. Temporarily disable protection
  3. Whitelist specific trackers
  4. Report the issue to us
  5. Check for extension updates

High Memory Usage​

Solution:

  1. Clear extension storage
  2. Disable tracking history
  3. Reduce custom filter lists
  4. Update to latest version
  5. Report persistent issues

Badge Not Updating​

Solution:

  1. Refresh the current page
  2. Check extension is enabled
  3. Reinstall the extension
  4. Clear browser cache

Settings Not Syncing​

Solution:

  1. Check you're logged in
  2. Verify internet connection
  3. Re-authorize the extension
  4. Manually export/import settings

Performance Impact​

The Ethikal extension is designed to be lightweight:

  • Memory: ~30-50 MB typical usage
  • CPU: < 1% when idle, ~3-5% when blocking
  • Network: Minimal (block lists update weekly)
  • Page Load: Often faster (blocked content doesn't load)

Privacy & Security​

What Data We Collect​

Local Only (never leaves your device):

  • Browsing history (if enabled)
  • Blocked tracker logs
  • Per-site preferences

Sent to Ethikal (with your permission):

  • Aggregated tracker statistics (anonymized)
  • Privacy score calculations
  • Data value estimates

Never Collected:

  • Your browsing history
  • Personal information
  • Passwords or credentials
  • Payment information

Security Features​

  • End-to-End Encryption: Settings sync is encrypted
  • No Third Parties: We never share your data
  • Open Source: Code is auditable
  • Regular Audits: Security reviews every quarter

Updates​

Automatic Updates​

The extension updates automatically when:

  • New version is published
  • Security patches released
  • Filter lists updated

Manual Update​

Force an update:

  1. Visit your browser's extensions page
  2. Enable Developer Mode
  3. Click Update
  4. Restart browser if prompted

Update Notifications​

You'll be notified of:

  • Major version updates
  • New features
  • Critical security patches
  • Breaking changes

Getting Help​

Documentation​

Support Channels​

Next Steps​

Now that your extension is installed:

  1. Explore Data Tracking
  2. Check Your Privacy Score
  3. Review Data Value
  4. Customize Settings

Happy private browsing!