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  • 2018-05-04 (xsd:date)
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  • Does the Honey Browser Extension Work? (en)
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  • The browser extension Honey has been around since at least 2013, but we regularly receive questions from readers asking whether it's for real (rather than a form of scam): The service's developers have described the basics of the extension and how it works with online shopping as follows: Business Insider profiled the Honey browser extension's creator and the inspiration behind the app: On the surface, Honey performs a few primary functions for users in the course of online purchases. As an extension running in the background, it automatically prompts shoppers to check for any active coupons in its database during most checkout processes, and it can also can product prices for long-term planning of purchases, enabling its users to monitor pricing trends with very little effort. Some purchases result in a points bonus called Honey Gold, which can be redeemed for dollar amounts credited to gift cards for stores such Amazon, Walmart, Target, eBay, Nordstrom, and Sephora. The possibility of savings and refunds in the form of gift cards prompted understandable questions about how Honey's developers can afford to run the extension and compensate users for certain purchases. Concerns about the nature of Honey and its safety emerged in Reddit's r/frugal on 23 June 2016, when a poster claimed that the extension sends data about the sites you visit to their servers attached to a session ID which can identify all of that data back to you. Not long after the thread was posted, founder George Ruan addressed the claims in a comment explaining the manner in which Honey finances both its operations and its rebates and denying that user data is ever sold to or shared with third parties: (Honey's privacy policy is outlined here.) Ruan posted a separate reddit Ask Me Anything on r/IAmA on 18 January 2014. The focus of that thread was the vulnerability of any browser extension to exploitation to bad actors. In his initial post, Ruan said: In a followup comment on that thread, Ruan explained how purveyors of malware could exploit extensions such as Honey: Information about the Honey extension and how it works is also available from reliable sources other than the developers. The New York Times, CNET, TechCrunch, Consumer Reports and technology blogs have all reviewed the service since its inception with no reports of adverse events. Like all services of its type, Honey requires users to enable certain permissions in order for it to run, and some cautious users feel uncomfortable doing so. Nevertheless, the app does work as advertised and is straightforward for users willing to allow certain permissions that facilitate its use. (en)
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