GitHub · GitHub Terms of Service · View original document ↗

Privacy and Data Collection

Medium severity Rare · 5 of 343 platforms
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Recent governance activity GitHub recorded 2 documented changes in the last 30 days.
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This analysis describes what GitHub's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

By incorporating the Privacy Statement by reference, the provision establishes a two-document governance structure where data practices are defined outside the primary Terms of Service agreement. This creates a requirement that users reference an external document to understand the full scope of data handling obligations and authorizations.

Recent Activity

This document changed recently

Medium Apr 28, 2026

GitHub's updated Terms of Service now include an explicit section governing AI features, including Copilot. The new section establishes specific contractual terms for how user data may be collected, used, and retained for developing and improving AI and machine learning models, and identifies what controls are available to users. The practical effect is that AI-related data practices are now consolidated under dedicated contractual language rather than dispersed across general service terms.

View change record →
Medium Apr 19, 2026

GitHub's Terms of Service update on April 19, 2026 involved substantial revisions across 54 sentences, with 40 sentences removed and 4 added. The extent of change suggests modifications to core service provisions; however, without access to the specific language that was modified, removed, or added, the precise operational implications for users cannot be determined. Users should review the updated Terms directly to understand how the changes affect their usage rights, account obligations, or dispute resolution procedures.

View change record →

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
3
Months Monitored
May 8, 2026
First Seen
May 8, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 967 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users' data handling is governed by the terms stated in the GitHub Privacy Statement rather than this agreement alone. The specific practices regarding data collection, use, and third-party sharing are defined in the separately maintained Privacy Statement document, which users must consult for complete information on data practices.

How other platforms handle this

Xbox Medium

Your privacy is important to us. Please read the Microsoft Privacy Statement as it describes the types of data we collect from you and your devices ("Data"), how we use your Data, and the legal bases we have to process your Data. Where processing is based on consent and to the extent permitted by la...

Paramount+ Medium

"By clicking 'Next', you are indicating that you have read and agree to the TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY"

OpenAI Medium

We automatically collect certain information from your device, including information about your web browser, IP address, time zone, and some of the cookies that are installed on your device. Additionally, as you browse the Service, we collect information about the individual web pages or products th...

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
Please refer to the GitHub Privacy Statement (available at https://docs.github.com/site-policy/privacy-policies/github-privacy-statement) for information about how we collect, use, and share information about private individuals. GitHub's collection, use, and sharing of personal data from the Service is governed by that Privacy Statement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

— Excerpt from GitHub's GitHub Terms of Service

Applicable regulations

EU AI Act
European Union
CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
ePrivacy Directive
European Union
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
UK GDPR
United Kingdom
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US

Provision details

Document information
Document
GitHub Terms of Service
Entity
GitHub
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 10, 2026
Last verified
May 12, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-006144
Document ID
CA-D-00253
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
610460507af6f60333f6195921a4e0d9629d1fea528d1220cda7340159b5b46b
Analysis generated
May 10, 2026 17:12 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: GitHub
Document: GitHub Terms of Service
Record ID: CA-P-006144
Captured: 2026-05-10 17:12:21 UTC
SHA-256: 610460507af6f603…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/github/github-terms-of-service/privacy-and-data-collection/
Accessed: July 4, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Built from archived source documents, structured governance mappings, and historical version tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does GitHub's Privacy and Data Collection clause do?

By incorporating the Privacy Statement by reference, the provision establishes a two-document governance structure where data practices are defined outside the primary Terms of Service agreement. This creates a requirement that users reference an external document to understand the full scope of data handling obligations and authorizations.

How does this clause affect you?

Users' data handling is governed by the terms stated in the GitHub Privacy Statement rather than this agreement alone. The specific practices regarding data collection, use, and third-party sharing are defined in the separately maintained Privacy Statement document, which users must consult for complete information on data practices.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 5 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with GitHub?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by GitHub.