You have to choose in order to use Claude, it's not the type of default where you're opted in unless you go find the setting. This blog post misrepresents this.
I haven't seen what the screen for new users looks like, perhaps it "nudge"s you in the direction they want by starting the UI with it checked and you have to check it off. That is what the popup for existing users looks like from Anthropic's linked blog post. That post says they require you to choose when signing up and that existing users have to choose in order to keep using Claude. In Claude Code I had to choose and it was just a straight question in the terminal.
I think the nudge-style defaults are worth criticism but you lose me when your article makes false implications.
I don't think you can choose 30 days. It is 5 years or no service. At least that's what it looks like to me, I did not find a way to accept the new policies without accepting 5 years.
Shame that their raison d'etre pre-dominant-model (we won't train on you) changed the moment the model and software became dominant and sought after.
their customer service (or total lack thereof) burned me into a cancellation before hand, the policy changes would have probably had a similar effect. Shame because I love the product (claude-code) -- oh well, the behavior is going to kick up a lot of alternatives soon I bet.
"1. Help improve Claude by allowing us to use your chats and coding sessions to improve our models
With your permission, we will use your chats and coding sessions to train and improve our AI models. If you accept the updated Consumer Terms before September 28, your preference takes effect immediately.
If you choose to allow us to use your data for model training, it helps us:
Improve our AI models and make Claude more helpful and accurate for everyone
Develop more robust safeguards to help prevent misuse of Claude
We will only use chats and coding sessions you initiate or resume after you give permission. You can change your preference anytime in your Privacy Settings."
The only way to interpret this validly is that it is opt-in.
But it's LITERALLY opt out.
"Help improve Claude
Allow the use of your chats and coding sessions to train and improve Anthropic AI models."
You actually meant to say “this is the option that is given focus when the user is prompted to make a decision of whether to share data or not”, right?
Because unless they changed the UI again, that’s what happens: you get prompted to make a decision, with the “enable” option given focus. Which means that this is still literally opt-in. It’s an icky, dark pattern (IMO) to give the “enable” option focus when prompted, but that doesn’t make it any less opt-in.
The risk is that if I have created something propietary and novel, it becomes trivial for somebody else to recreate it in using Claude Code, if that same thing has been used to train the model that is being used.
Somebody (tm) will probably turn this against Anthropic and use Claude Code to recreate an open source Claude Code.
> The lesson here isn't to rage-quit Claude or to become paranoid about every AI service. It's to stay actively engaged with the tools you depend on. Check the settings. Read the update emails everyone ignores. Assume that today's defaults won't be tomorrow's defaults.
Erm, no it's not. The lesson is to (a) stop giving money to companies that abuse your privacy and (b) advocate for laws which make privacy the default.
Wow, been waiting to speak to a real agent after paying £180 for the year 8th August 2025 then getting update terms 30th August 2025 on using my data for training after writing a book for how many hours!!!!!! Had to say yes to get any further. I haven't typed another letter until I get the facts; what constitutes them using my data. If I download my stuff, type, copy or export it all out? Weird behaviour. Get you invested, pay full price, carry on working your heart out then what? £££££££££ pay what to stay OFF training the LLM. Let me see if they throw a line out do you want a refund once I get through to Support via chat bot :(
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[ 3.2 ms ] story [ 46.5 ms ] threadI haven't seen what the screen for new users looks like, perhaps it "nudge"s you in the direction they want by starting the UI with it checked and you have to check it off. That is what the popup for existing users looks like from Anthropic's linked blog post. That post says they require you to choose when signing up and that existing users have to choose in order to keep using Claude. In Claude Code I had to choose and it was just a straight question in the terminal.
I think the nudge-style defaults are worth criticism but you lose me when your article makes false implications.
> So here's my advice: Treat every AI tool like a rental car. Inspect it every time you pick it up.
Disappointed in Anthropic - especially the 5 year retention, regardless of how you opt.
their customer service (or total lack thereof) burned me into a cancellation before hand, the policy changes would have probably had a similar effect. Shame because I love the product (claude-code) -- oh well, the behavior is going to kick up a lot of alternatives soon I bet.
"1. Help improve Claude by allowing us to use your chats and coding sessions to improve our models
With your permission, we will use your chats and coding sessions to train and improve our AI models. If you accept the updated Consumer Terms before September 28, your preference takes effect immediately.
If you choose to allow us to use your data for model training, it helps us:
We will only use chats and coding sessions you initiate or resume after you give permission. You can change your preference anytime in your Privacy Settings."The only way to interpret this validly is that it is opt-in.
But it's LITERALLY opt out.
"Help improve Claude
Allow the use of your chats and coding sessions to train and improve Anthropic AI models."
This is defaulted to toggling on.
This should not be legal.
You actually meant to say “this is the option that is given focus when the user is prompted to make a decision of whether to share data or not”, right?
Because unless they changed the UI again, that’s what happens: you get prompted to make a decision, with the “enable” option given focus. Which means that this is still literally opt-in. It’s an icky, dark pattern (IMO) to give the “enable” option focus when prompted, but that doesn’t make it any less opt-in.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45062683
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45062738
Somebody (tm) will probably turn this against Anthropic and use Claude Code to recreate an open source Claude Code.
Erm, no it's not. The lesson is to (a) stop giving money to companies that abuse your privacy and (b) advocate for laws which make privacy the default.