Privacy Policy

Who We Are

RefScout AI is operated by Intelliwebi Co., Ltd. ("Intelliwebi", "we", "our", or "us"). We provide the RefScout AI web application at refscoutai.com and the RefScout AI Chrome Extension (collectively, the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices available to you.

Chrome Extension Data Collection

While connected and enabled, the extension captures public TikTok video and creator metadata from feed, search, profile, and video pages. This includes captions, usernames, creator IDs, bios, engagement counts, thumbnails, music metadata, posting times, and TikTok search terms. Captures are associated with your RefScoutAI account and contribute to a research library shared with other RefScoutAI customers. This data is not anonymous.

Your saved-video list and searches entered on the RefScoutAI website remain private to your account. To stop collection, disable or remove the extension in your browser's extension settings; captures already queued on your device are discarded with it. We do not collect your TikTok password or private messages. The extension stores RefScoutAI authentication tokens locally and sends them only to RefScoutAI to authenticate requests.

Information We Collect

• Account information — When you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile picture. We use this only to authenticate you and link saved videos and settings to your account.
• TikTok video metadata — Publicly visible data such as view counts, like counts, share counts, follower counts, captions, hashtags, and post dates from TikTok pages you visit while using the extension.
• YouTube information — When you use YouTube search or video lookup, we send the search text, filters, and video identifiers you submit to Google through YouTube API Services. We receive and temporarily store the public metadata YouTube returns, such as title, description, channel name and identifier, thumbnail URL, publish time, duration, and public view, like, and comment counts. If the YouTube Data API is unavailable, a lookup may use YouTube's public oEmbed endpoint, which returns more limited public details. We do not receive your YouTube password, private playlists, subscriptions, or watch history.
• Usage data — Search queries and videos you save within RefScout AI to provide scoring and dashboard features.
• Technical data — Session cookies and locally stored authentication tokens required to keep you signed in and allow the extension to communicate with our API.

How We Use Your Information

• Compute virality and breakout scores for TikTok videos you browse
• Retrieve and display public YouTube search results and video details that you request
• Display ranked search results and analytics in the Chrome sidebar
• Store videos and preferences associated with your account
• Maintain, secure, and improve the Service
• Respond to support requests

Cookies & Authentication

The web application uses session cookies to keep you signed in. The Chrome Extension may request your explicit approval on our website before receiving tokens to call our API. Tokens are stored locally in your browser via chrome.storage.local and are never shared with TikTok or other third parties.

We also use optional Google Analytics cookies, loaded through Google Tag Manager, to understand how the Service is used. These analytics cookies are off until you choose Accept analytics on the cookie banner. You can change that choice anytime with Cookie settings in the footer. Rejecting analytics does not affect sign-in or paid features.

The browser extension does not send Google Analytics events. It sends captured public TikTok metadata and required authenticated service requests to RefScoutAI. Website cookie settings apply to website analytics only.

Data Sharing

Extension data is used to provide and improve the research features described here, not for advertising targeting or sale to data brokers. Our use of extension data is limited to these disclosed purposes. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share data only with:

• Google — for OAuth sign-in and usage analytics (subject to Google's Privacy Policy)
• Google, through YouTube API Services — the YouTube search text, filters, and video identifiers needed to return public results. Google's handling of information it receives is described in the Google Privacy Policy. We do not sell YouTube API Data or use it to target advertising.
• Other RefScoutAI customers — public TikTok metadata and TikTok search captures in the shared research library. Your private saved list, email, and website search history are not exposed through research results.
• PayPal — subscription and payment processing. We store subscription identifiers, status, billing dates, and webhook records needed to manage your plan.
• Infrastructure providers — hosting services that process data on our behalf under confidentiality obligations
• Legal requirements — when required by applicable law or to protect our rights

Third-Party Services

RefScout AI is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by TikTok or ByteDance. We read publicly visible video metadata from TikTok pages you visit. We do not access your TikTok login credentials, private messages, or non-public account data.

RefScout AI is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by YouTube or Google. YouTube content displayed in the Service comes from YouTube. We do not allow third parties to serve advertisements on or within YouTube audiovisual content or YouTube API Data.

YouTube API Services

RefScout AI uses YouTube API Services. YouTube search and video lookup use the YouTube Data API to retrieve public video information. Those requests are made with our API credentials. They are not made with your YouTube account, and we do not ask you to grant RefScout AI access to your YouTube data. By using these features, you also agree to be bound by the YouTube Terms of Service (https://www.youtube.com/t/terms).

We use returned public metadata to show the search results and video details you request. Where analytics is enabled, we also retain public statistical observations for up to 28 days to show recorded view histories and calculate RefScout performance scores from available counts. These scores are labelled separately from YouTube statistics and are not predictions or YouTube endorsements. We display view, like, and comment counts as YouTube provides them and do not replace those counts. Public results may be kept in a short-lived server cache so the same lookup can be answered without another request to YouTube. Cached YouTube API Data is deleted or refreshed within 30 days, and usually much sooner. That cache holds public YouTube information, not your saved-video list or website search history, and it is not added to the shared TikTok research library.

We do not download or store YouTube audiovisual content. A how-to page may embed a privacy-enhanced YouTube player (youtube-nocookie.com) for an instructional video. The player does not play automatically. When that page loads, and again if you play the video, YouTube may receive technical information such as your IP address and device or browser data, as described in the Google Privacy Policy (also at http://www.google.com/policies/privacy). We do not place YouTube cookies for the search and lookup features. Those features run from our servers.

Because YouTube features do not connect to your YouTube account, there is no YouTube authorization on that account to revoke. Sign-in uses your Google Account. You can review and remove RefScout AI's access to that Google Account at any time on the Google security settings page (https://security.google.com/settings/security/permissions). Removing that access stops Google sign-in. It does not delete videos or other data stored by YouTube, and deleting YouTube information stored by RefScout AI does not change your YouTube account. To delete content on YouTube, use YouTube.

Questions or complaints about these privacy practices can be sent to the contact address below.

Data Retention

Account-linked searches, saved videos, and capture records are retained while your account remains active. Public metadata contributed by more than one customer may remain in the shared library after your account is removed; deleting your account removes your personal links to those contributions. Subscription and payment records may require separate retention for billing obligations. Research freshness limits do not automatically delete stored records. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by contacting us at the email address below.

Public YouTube API Data in the temporary cache is not kept as part of your account profile. It is deleted or refreshed within 30 days regardless of whether your account remains open. Deleting your RefScout AI account, or asking us to delete data we store, does not delete anything stored by YouTube.

Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of your personal data. To exercise these rights, contact us using the information below. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe.

Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to individuals under 13 years of age (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. YouTube features are not directed to children, and we do not use YouTube API Services to target children.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will reflect the most recent revision. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

Intelliwebi Co., Ltd.
RefScout AI
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://refscoutai.com

For privacy-related inquiries, account deletion requests, or questions about this policy, please email us at the address above.