PaperTab Permissions Justification

This document details the exact justifications for all Chrome Extension (Manifest V3) permissions requested by PaperTab, suitable for Chrome Web Store review and user audits.

PaperTab is a local-first new-tab extension. It has no external backend, no telemetry, no analytics, and does not sell or transmit user data. All captured content and drawings remain on the user's local machine.

1. Install-Time Permissions (permissions)

storage

• Justification: Required to persist user drawings, board metadata, and widget configurations via chrome.storage.local.
• Scope: Stores JSON-serializable records for scene indices, board definitions, and user settings on the local machine.

unlimitedStorage

• Justification: PaperTab allows users to create visual sketchbooks and store high-resolution reference images across multiple boards. The standard chrome.storage.local quota (10 MB) is insufficient for extensive user collections, and browser-managed IndexedDB can be subject to automatic cache eviction under storage pressure. This permission ensures user artwork, notes, and saved assets are never unexpectedly purged by the browser.

2. Host and other permissions

PaperTab requests no host permissions (required or optional), no contextMenus, no tabs and no content scripts. It never reads the pages you visit. The toolbar icon opens a new tab using chrome.tabs.create({}), which needs no permission.