Privacy Policy

LectureLens browser extension · Last updated: 1/9/2026

LectureLens is a non-commercial research tool developed at the University of Sydney. It provides on-demand summaries of recorded lecture segments. This policy explains what the extension does and does not collect.

In short: LectureLens does not collect your name, email address, student ID, or any information that identifies you. It does not use your University login, does not access Canvas or Echo360 accounts and does not sell or share data with advertisers. It sends only the lecture transcript segment you select, in order to generate a summary.

What the extension accesses

The extension runs only on Echo360 lecture pages and your University's Canvas site. On those pages it reads the lecture transcript that is already displayed in your browser which is the same text you can see on screen. It does this only when you ask for a summary.

It requests two browser permissions:

activeTab: access to the tab you are currently viewing, only when you invoke the extension.
storage: local storage in your browser for your settings and preferences.

It does not use the Canvas or Echo360 APIs, does not request or store any login token or password, and holds no University credentials. It cannot see your grades, enrolments, other students' information, or any page other than the lecture page you have open.

What is sent, and where

When you request a summary, the extension sends the transcript segment you selected to the LectureLens server, over an encrypted (HTTPS) connection. That server forwards the transcript text to Google's Gemini API, which generates the summary. No information identifying you is included at any point.

Google's handling of that text is governed by the Gemini API terms and Google's privacy policy.

Usage information

To understand how the tool is used and to improve it, the extension records basic usage events. These are stored under a randomly generated identifier and are not linked to your name or any account. They consist of:

When a session starts and ends;
Each summary you request - which portion of the lecture it covered, the length and detail setting you chose, how long the system took to respond, and whether the summary passed the automatic quality check;
When the lecture tab becomes hidden or visible again and for how long;
Which accessibility features you turn on or off;
Any optional ratings you choose to submit.

The text of the summaries and the lecture transcript are not stored in this usage data. The extension does not record your screen, your keystrokes outside the tool, or any other browsing activity.

What is never collected

Names, email addresses, student numbers or any identifying information
Passwords, login tokens or University credentials
Grades, assessment data or academic records
Browsing history or activity on other websites
Financial or payment information
Location data

How the information is used

Usage information is used only to operate and improve the tool, and for academic research reported in the developer's honours thesis and any resulting publication. Results are reported only in aggregate; no individual is identifiable. The data is never sold, never used for advertising, and never shared with third parties for their own purposes.

Storage and retention

Usage data is stored on an access-restricted server, accessible only to the research team and transmitted over encrypted connections. Your settings are stored locally in your own browser. Research data is retained in accordance with the University of Sydney Research Data Management Policy and then destroyed.

Your choices

Using LectureLens is entirely voluntary. You can stop at any time by removing the extension from Chrome, which also deletes the settings stored in your browser. If you would like the usage data associated with your installation deleted, contact us at the address below.

Research participation

If you are using LectureLens as part of a research study, the Participant Information Statement you were given applies in addition to this policy and takes precedence where the two differ.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the updated version will be published at this address with a revised date.

Contact

Questions about this policy or about the data held about you:

Justin Chor, justin.chor@sydney.edu.au
Supervisor: Professor Imdad Ullah, imdad.ullah@sydney.edu.au
School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney