Instagram Translator Privacy Policy

What the extension reads

The extension reads text on Instagram.com only to provide translations. Depending on the areas you enable, this can include home feed posts, captions, comments, Reels, Explore details, profile biographies, Direct messages, and floating messages. When you use input translation, it also processes the text you type for translation before sending. Message text may contain names, usernames, and other personal information supplied by the people in a conversation.

The extension does not need your Instagram password or cookies, does not access other websites, and does not send images or video to translation services.

How translation requests work

Text selected for translation and the source and target language codes are sent directly from the browser to Google Translate over HTTPS. If that request fails, the same text may be sent to MyMemory as a fallback. The text is included in each provider's request URL query string. Language detection may also send text to Google Translate. Those services may receive network information such as your IP address and may process or retain requests under their own policies.

SMDeck does not operate an intermediate translation server. We do not sell translation text or use it for advertising, profiling, or market research. We do not permit staff to read your messages through the extension; information you choose to send to support is handled separately as a support request.

Third-party information: Google Privacy Policy and MyMemory.

What stays in your browser

Translation preferences and successful translation results are stored in Chrome's local extension storage. The cache holds up to 500 results and uses a hash of the source text as part of each lookup key; translated text can still contain personal information. Older entries are evicted as new ones are added. There is no time-based expiry. The extension also keeps a smaller temporary in-memory cache while it is running.

SMDeck does not receive this local cache. Removing the extension removes its local extension data from your browser. The extension does not have a separate cloud account or an SMDeck-hosted copy of your Instagram conversations.

Your choices

Automatic translation and the supported Instagram areas are enabled by default. You can turn off message and content translation, disable individual areas, or turn off input translation in the extension popup. Turning a feature off stops new requests from that feature; it does not erase text already sent to a translation provider. You can remove the extension to delete its local settings and cache.

The "Send Immediately" setting is enabled by default, so a translated outgoing message may be sent through Instagram after translation. You can turn that setting off in the popup.

Security and changes

Requests to the translation providers use HTTPS. Local data is stored using the browser's extension storage; SMDeck does not add separate encryption to that local cache. We may update this policy if the extension's data handling changes, and will update the date shown above.

SMDeck Instagram Translator is an independent browser extension and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram, Meta, Google, or MyMemory.

Contact

For privacy questions, contact SMDeck at hamingoearnest@gmail.com.