Last updated: 23 September 2026

1. Summary

DB Start is a new-tab extension that lets users organize profiles, groups, cards, aggregators, shortcuts, icons and preferences.

DB Start is designed to operate mainly on the user's device and does not include analytics, usage telemetry or advertising. The only direct transmission to project infrastructure occurs when the user explicitly chooses to submit a message through the Suggestions feature described in section 6.

1. Data stored locally

The extension may store the following in the browser's local extension storage:

• profile names and configuration;
• group names and configuration;
• card and aggregator names, URLs and organization;
• visual and usage preferences;
• custom icons uploaded by the user;
• local paths configured by the user for the optional application, file or folder integration;
• interface language preference;
• local technical identifiers used to limit abuse of the Suggestions form.

This information is used only to provide the extension's functionality and remains on the device or browser profile unless the user manually exports it.

1. Import and export

DB Start allows users to import and export their configuration. Import files are processed locally by the extension. Export is initiated by the user and produces a file controlled by the user.

HTML bookmark imports are also processed locally.

1. Search and navigation

When a user enters a search, DB Start opens that search directly in the search engine selected by the user, such as Brave Search, Qwant, Mojeek or Google.

DB Start does not remotely receive or store those search terms. The selected search provider may receive the query under its own privacy policy, just as it would during normal navigation to that service.

Likewise, when a user opens a web card, the browser navigates directly to the configured address. Use of that website is subject to the privacy practices of the relevant service.

1. Optional local integration

DB Start can provide optional integration with DB Start Launcher through the browser's Native Messaging API.

This integration is used only to ask a component installed on the same computer to open an application, file or folder previously configured by the user.

Native Messaging requests travel only between the extension and the local host installed on the computer. DB Start Launcher does not send those paths or requests to the developer or to a DB Start server.

The nativeMessaging permission is optional. All normal web-card functionality remains available without installing or enabling the launcher.

1. Data sent to the developer

DB Start does not automatically send the developer browsing history, searches, saved URLs, local file paths, profile or group names, custom icons, imported file contents, usage analytics or telemetry.

Suggestions submitted through the form

The Suggestions button opens a form inside DB Start. Nothing is transmitted while the user is only typing. When the user explicitly presses Send, the extension sends the message text, installed DB Start version, current interface language, a random installation identifier and a random request identifier over HTTPS to a feedback function hosted on Supabase.

The identifiers are used solely for duplicate control and abuse prevention. On the server, the installation identifier and the observed IP address are transformed into HMAC hashes before being stored in the technical rate-limiting table. The clear-text values are not stored in that table. Technical rate-limiting records have a planned maximum retention period of 48 hours.

The function validates the request and forwards the message through the Brevo transactional email service to a dedicated Proton alias for DB Start. The destination address and email-service credentials remain on the server and are not included in the extension package. The function does not write the suggestion content to the project database, and the extension does not retain the message text in local extension storage after submission.

Supabase, Brevo and Proton may process technical data required for transmission and delivery, such as IP addresses, timestamps, delivery status and other network metadata, according to their respective privacy policies. Brevo also processes the message content in order to deliver it, and the delivered message remains stored in the destination mailbox.

DB Start does not request a name or email address in the Suggestions form. Users should not include personal or sensitive information unless they consider it necessary. In Firefox, transmission of message content and associated technical data is declared as optional data collection and the browser may request consent before the first submission.

This feature is not telemetry: it does not send information automatically, does not track extension usage and runs only after an explicit user action.

1. Cookies, tracking and advertising

The extension does not create tracking cookies and does not integrate analytics, advertising or profiling tools.

1. Remote code

The extension's executable logic is included in the installed package. DB Start does not download or execute remote JavaScript code to change its behavior.

1. Data deletion and user control

Local extension data can be removed using DB Start's own controls, by clearing extension data in the browser, or by uninstalling the extension, subject to the behavior of the browser being used.

Users can export their configuration before removing the extension. For questions concerning Suggestions messages that have already been sent, users can contact the address in section 11.

1. Future changes

If future versions add accounts, cloud synchronization, analytics, telemetry or new data transmissions, this policy will be updated before those features are made available.

1. Contact

For support, privacy or DB Start functionality questions: dbstart-by-emt@pm.me

This is a dedicated address for the DB Start project. Contact is initiated by the user; the extension does not automatically send messages to this address.

Public privacy policy:
https://danielandrebento.github.io/db-start-public-site/privacy.html