Frequently asked questions

Is my document sent anywhere?: No. It is read by your browser and processed in the tab. You can check this by cutting the network once the page has loaded: the tool goes through to the end. See the Privacy page.
Is the redacted text really removed?: Yes. The file produced is a new document: each page in it is an image on which the black boxes are painted, with searchable text rewritten without what is redacted. Before offering it to you, the tool reads it back and searches it for each redacted item.
Does the document become anonymous?: Not necessarily. Klarmask redacts and pseudonymises; a document can remain recognisable through its context. To anonymise a document, in the GDPR sense, nobody must be able to identify the person any more, even by cross-referencing information. See pseudonymisation or anonymisation.
Why do the pages become images?: Because it is the only safe way to remove the text under an area: nothing from the original page is copied. The kept text is rewritten on top, invisible, so that the document stays searchable. The page loses its links, its forms and its accessibility tags.
Are names detected?: Yes, by a model that runs in your browser. It is downloaded once from this site (134 MB for the light version), verified by its fingerprint, then stays on your computer. It suggests the names of people and companies, and groups the forms of the same person (“John Smith”, “Mr Smith”, “SMITH John”). It is trained on French and can miss names, especially in other languages: “Redact everywhere” redacts a missed name throughout the document.
What about Word documents, scans and photos?: Word documents (.docx) are supported: text, tables, headers, footers, notes and text boxes, with tracked changes accepted and comments removed. Scans and photos will come later; for a scan, draw the areas by hand in the meantime.
What is an item “to review”?: A number that has the right format but whose check digit does not add up. It is often a typo in the document: the data is still personal, so the tool shows it to you.
Can I re-identify after pseudonymisation?: Not from the tool yet: the encrypted mapping table will come later. Labels are stable within a document: “[Person A]” always refers to the same person.
Which browsers?: Chrome, Edge and recent browsers. Firefox and Safari have not been checked yet.
Do I need an account?: No. No account, no cookie, no sign-up.
What do you count?: The number of documents redacted and checked, and their number of pages, for the counter on the home page. One request when you save, to this site, with nothing that identifies you and nothing from the document. The details are on the Privacy page.
Who is responsible for the shared document?: You are. The tool suggests and carries out; the decision on what is redacted, and the sharing, remain yours. See the terms of use.