Terms of Use
Hi. Thanks for using Go Private Quickly. This document is the formal "please use it responsibly and don't sue me" page. It's written to be readable instead of intimidating, but the legal weight is real, so please give it a once-over.
What this extension is
Go Private Quickly ("GPQ") is a browser extension that opens a new private/incognito window when you click its toolbar icon, with an optional setting to launch one (or ask you about one) when your browser starts. That is all it does.
It's a side project I built for my own use and decided to share. It's free, open source under the MIT License, and contains no advertising, analytics, telemetry, or in-app purchases.
What private mode is, and (importantly) what it is NOT
Browser "private mode" (also called incognito, private browsing, or InPrivate, depending on the browser) prevents your browser from storing local records of your session — history, cookies, form data, cached pages, and similar. When you close the private window, that local data is discarded.
Private mode is NOT:
- A VPN. Your ISP, employer, school, government, public Wi-Fi operator, and any other network observer can still see every site you visit and (for unencrypted traffic) what you sent and received.
- A tool that hides your IP address.
- A tool that anonymizes you on the websites you visit. Sites you log into still know who you are. Sites that fingerprint you (using things like your screen size, font list, or installed plugins) can often still identify your browser between sessions.
- A guarantee of "untraceable" or "anonymous" browsing. If you want meaningful anonymity, look at tools like Tor.
- A defense against malware, phishing, drive-by downloads, or malicious browser extensions.
- A way to bypass content blocks, geo-restrictions, or workplace filters that act at the network level.
GPQ is a convenience tool — it gets you into private mode faster. It does not change what private mode is or expand its protections. Please use private mode (and any extension that helps you reach it) with realistic expectations about what it does.
Use it responsibly
You're the one driving. GPQ does not check what you do in the private windows it opens — there is no tracking, no logging, and no judgement. That also means it cannot stop you from doing something illegal, harmful, or unwise.
By using GPQ, you agree:
- To comply with all laws applicable to you and the websites you visit. Don't use this extension (or private browsing in general) to commit fraud, harassment, copyright infringement, distribution of unlawful material, or anything else that violates the law.
- You are solely responsible for your own browsing activity. The developer is not responsible for what you choose to do in any window — private or otherwise — that this extension helped you open.
- You will not attempt to use GPQ to facilitate harm to other people, systems, or data.
"As-is" — no warranty
GPQ is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. The developer makes no guarantee that GPQ will be error-free, uninterrupted, or compatible with every future version of every browser.
You install and use GPQ at your own risk. The developer is not responsible for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages — including but not limited to lost data, lost browsing sessions, lost productivity, lost revenue, or any other loss — arising out of or related to your use of, or inability to use, the extension. This applies even if the developer has been advised of the possibility of such damages, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.
If your jurisdiction does not allow the disclaimer or limitation of certain warranties or liabilities, those disclaimers and limitations apply only to the extent allowed by law in that jurisdiction.
Software license
The source code is released under the MIT License. You can read it, fork it, adapt it, and build your own version. The MIT License is the controlling legal document for the source code itself; these Terms of Use govern your use of the distributed extension (whatever version you install from the Chrome Web Store, Firefox AMO, or elsewhere).
Maintenance and updates
GPQ is a personal project, not a commercial product. I plan to keep it working as Chromium and Firefox ship new versions, and I'll do my best to address security or compatibility issues as they appear, but there is no service-level commitment and no guarantee of:
- A specific response time on support emails or bug reports
- Continued updates indefinitely into the future
- Compatibility with browsers, browser versions, or operating systems that don't currently exist
- Restoration of any specific feature if it has to be removed for legal, security, or compatibility reasons
If at some point I have to stop maintaining GPQ, the existing versions will still work for as long as the browsers support them, and the source code will remain publicly available so that someone else (or a future me) can pick it up.
Trademarks
"Chrome", "Brave", "Microsoft Edge", "Arc", "Opera", "Vivaldi", "Firefox", and any related logos are the property of their respective owners. GPQ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any of those companies. References to those browsers in GPQ's documentation are descriptive — they tell you where GPQ runs — and should not be read as a claim of affiliation.
Changes to these terms
If I have to update these terms, the updated version will live at this same URL with a new "Last updated" date at the top. If a change is material, I'll call it out in the release notes for the version that introduces it.
Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, United States, without regard to conflict-of-law provisions. Any disputes arising from your use of GPQ will be resolved in the courts of the State of Florida or the federal courts located therein, to the extent permitted by law. If you are using GPQ from a jurisdiction whose laws mandate a different forum or governing law, those mandatory rules apply to the extent required.
Contact
For anything — questions, bugs, feedback, legal correspondence — email [email protected].