Classic Ads privacy

Last updated: 13 October 2026.

The Classic Ads website is an interactive preview of nostalgic search ad styles. The optional Chrome extension works locally in your browser to make existing Google text ads, sponsored product/hotel carousels and sponsored local-place listings within Google Search easier to distinguish. It does not run on the full Google Maps website.

The Chrome extension does not collect, store, sell or transmit your searches, search results, browsing history, advertising identifiers or ad clicks. It has no analytics, tracking, remote scripts or backend service.

The extension stores four preferences using Chrome’s storage API: the selected year, whether styling is enabled, extra contrast and classic blue links. Chrome may sync these preferences through your Google account if you enable browser sync. No search content is included in these preferences.

The content script reads Google search page elements to recognise ads and applies local visual styles. It preserves the original destination links, ad text, result order and Google's disclosures. If an advertiser favicon fails to load, it can reuse an already-loaded embedded icon for the exact same hostname on that page, or display a local neutral globe. This does not contact a favicon service or store image data. Pausing restores the original icon sources unless Google has since replaced them. It does not click ads or make background search requests.

The settings interface contains optional links to Google Search, Wikipedia and a historical source. Visiting those links is a normal navigation to the respective website, whose own privacy practices apply.

The website at classic-ads.com and the local preview store the same four preferences in local browser storage, separately from installed-extension preferences. They only change the sample preview. The website also saves your chosen desktop wallpaper locally. The playful Recycle Bin contains fictional files; opening or emptying it does not access or delete files on your device. Vercel hosts the website and may keep standard access logs when serving it.

The production website uses Google Analytics 4 to measure website visits. For visitors in Australia, analytics runs without a cookie prompt unless you have previously declined it. Outside Australia, analytics only loads after you choose “Allow analytics”. Vercel uses the request's approximate country to select this behaviour; if the location check is unavailable, the website asks for consent and keeps analytics off until you allow it. The website does not store your IP address or country for this check or contact an additional geolocation provider.

When enabled, Google Analytics uses cookies to measure visits, page views, engagement, scrolls and outbound link clicks, with browser/device information and approximate location. This measures visits to classic-ads.com, not Google searches or activity inside the Chrome extension. Google signals and advertising personalization are disabled.

Your analytics choice is stored locally in this browser. Use “Cookie preferences” on this privacy page to change it. Where the site asks for consent, you can also use the cookie icon at the bottom of any website page. Australian visitors do not see a floating cookie icon or an automatic consent prompt. Choosing “No thanks” stops further measurement and removes this website's Google Analytics cookies; it does not erase events already collected. Automatic analytics in Australia does not save an “Allow analytics” choice: if you later visit from another country, consent is still requested unless you have explicitly allowed it before. Local development previews do not load analytics. Google's explanation of how it processes website data is available at How Google uses information from sites and apps.

Remove the extension using Chrome’s Extensions page to remove its local installation and extension storage. To clear website preferences, clear the site’s storage in your browser. File → Restore default settings resets the four preferences to their defaults.

For privacy questions or support, contact Sam Penny at sam@sampenny.io.