Knowte is marketed as a "100% Local & Private" application (README line 33) where "No data ever leaves your device." However, in the source code (src/lib/types.ts, line 318), the enable_research setting is set to true by default.
Why it's an issue:
Contradicts Branding: The app's primary selling point is that it is fully offline. Having a feature that automatically makes external network calls (to the Semantic Scholar API) as soon as a lecture is processed contradicts the "completely private" promise.
Data Leakage: Processing a lecture with this feature enabled sends metadata (keywords/topics) to an external API. Privacy-conscious users (like students or researchers dealing with sensitive data) might not realize this is happening until they check the settings.
Proposed Solution: To maintain the "privacy-first" integrity of the project, the enable_research setting should be changed to false by default. Users should be given the option to "Opt-In" to this feature during the initial setup wizard or in the settings menu, with a clear explanation that it requires an internet connection
Let me resolve this issue and assign it to me.
Knowte is marketed as a "100% Local & Private" application (README line 33) where "No data ever leaves your device." However, in the source code (src/lib/types.ts, line 318), the enable_research setting is set to true by default.
Why it's an issue:
Contradicts Branding: The app's primary selling point is that it is fully offline. Having a feature that automatically makes external network calls (to the Semantic Scholar API) as soon as a lecture is processed contradicts the "completely private" promise.
Data Leakage: Processing a lecture with this feature enabled sends metadata (keywords/topics) to an external API. Privacy-conscious users (like students or researchers dealing with sensitive data) might not realize this is happening until they check the settings.
Proposed Solution: To maintain the "privacy-first" integrity of the project, the enable_research setting should be changed to false by default. Users should be given the option to "Opt-In" to this feature during the initial setup wizard or in the settings menu, with a clear explanation that it requires an internet connection
Let me resolve this issue and assign it to me.