What can I do about this clause?

{'method': 'WEB_FORM', 'recipient': 'https://www.anthropic.com/legal/cookies', 'difficulty': 'EASY', 'action_type': 'OPT_OUT_ARBITRATION', 'instructions': "Visit Anthropic's Cookie Policy page at anthropic.com/legal/cookies to access opt-out controls for non-essential tracking technologies and advertising identifiers.", 'deadline_days': None, 'deadline_hours': None}

Which regulatory agencies enforce this type of clause?

{'agency': 'FTC', 'reason': 'The FTC has authority over commercial surveillance practices including passive collection of device identifiers and location data under FTC Act Section 5 unfair/deceptive practices standards.', 'complaint_url': 'https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/'}

What is the severity of this clause?

ConductAtlas classifies this Automated Collection of Device and Location Data clause as medium severity. Severity reflects the magnitude of rights affected, the breadth of users impacted, and the degree of discretion the platform retains.

Automated Collection of Device and Location Data — Anthropic

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What it is

Every time you use Claude or visit Anthropic's website, your approximate location (from your IP address), device type, browser, and unique device identifiers are automatically collected without any action on your part.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Anthropic automatically collects your device advertising identifiers, probabilistic identifiers, IP-derived location, and browsing history within its services every time you use Claude, building a technical profile of your usage patterns that persists across sessions regardless of whether you are logged in.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Opt Out of Arbitration

Visit Anthropic's Cookie Policy page at anthropic.com/legal/cookies to access opt-out controls for non-essential tracking technologies and advertising identifiers.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Automated Collection of Device and Location Data and similar clauses.

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

The collection of probabilistic identifiers and advertising identifiers alongside IP-derived location data represents a broader tracking profile than many users expect from an AI assistant service, and this data can be used to recognize and track you across sessions.

View original clause language

Device and Connection Information. Consistent with your device or browser permissions, your device or browser automatically sends us information about when and how you install, access, or use our Services. This includes information such as your device type, operating system information, browser information and web page referers, mobile network, connection information, mobile operator or internet service provider (ISP), time zone setting, IP address (including information about the location of the device derived from your IP address), identifiers (including device or advertising identifiers, probabilistic identifiers, and other unique personal or online identifiers), and device location.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

1. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: GDPR Art. 6(1)(f) (legitimate interests) is the likely basis for technical data collection; Art. 25 (data protection by design) requires minimisation of identifiers collected. The EU ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC, as amended) governs cookie and device identifier collection in the EU/EEA. CCPA §1798.140(o) defines 'personal information' broadly to include device identifiers and IP addresses. Illinois BIPA (740 ILCS 14) could be implicated if biometric-adjacent identifiers are collected. FTC Act Section 5 standards on unfair/deceptive tracking apply. The collection of advertising identifiers specifically implicates Google and Apple platform policies on tracking. 2.

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Applicable agencies

FTC

The FTC has authority over commercial surveillance practices including passive collection of device identifiers and location data under FTC Act Section 5 unfair/deceptive practices standards.
File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information

Document

Anthropic Privacy Policy

Entity

Anthropic

Document last updated

April 29, 2026

Tracking information

First tracked

March 6, 2026

Last verified

April 28, 2026

Record ID

CA-P-003866

Document ID

CA-D-00012

Evidence Provenance

Source URL

https://www.anthropic.com/legal/privacy

Wayback Machine

View archived versions →

SHA-256

55f589f5c2a5a187a9d045dc6c7e4954a2dbf9ac00fb6e3ea782dbcf9ad69387

Verified

✓ Snapshot stored ✓ Change verified

How to Cite

ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Anthropic | Document: Anthropic Privacy Policy | Record: CA-P-003866
Captured: 2026-03-06 20:00:36 UTC | SHA-256: 55f589f5c2a5a187…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/anthropic/anthropic-privacy-policy/automated-collection-of-device-and-location-data/
Accessed: April 29, 2026

Classification

Severity

Medium

Automated Collection of Device and Location Data