Get the weekly research letter
Companies change their terms quietly. We read every version and catch what actually changed. One email a week on the changes that matter and what they mean. No account.
The policy states that when users engage voice-enabled features, Perplexity may collect audio recordings of voice queries for the purpose of processing requests. The policy does not specify a distinct retention period for voice audio data.
This analysis describes what Perplexity AI'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
Voice audio data is a distinct and sensitive category of biometric-adjacent personal data in several jurisdictions. This provision creates compliance obligations under Illinois BIPA for voiceprint data, and may engage additional requirements in Texas and Washington, as well as heightened scrutiny under GDPR as a special category if biometric processing is involved.
Interpretive note: Whether the voice audio collection constitutes biometric data collection under BIPA and equivalent statutes depends on whether Perplexity derives voiceprints or other biometric identifiers from audio recordings, which is not specified in the reviewed policy text.
The updated Privacy Notice establishes more granular disclosure of data collection methods across multiple product areas. Perplexity now explicitly discloses that it collects and stores browsing history and settings in the Comet browser based on consent or legitimate interest, accesses email content through Email Assistant to analyze messages (while stating it does not train AI models on that content), and collects demographic data if users voluntarily upload it. The revised structure also clarifies that local browser data storage occurs on users' devices and that incognito mode does not fully prevent tracking by websites or Perplexity. You can review Comet privacy settings and controls as described in the updated policy.
View change record →New disclosure of voice recording collection practices introduces a high-severity biometric data collection capability not previously documented.
View full change record →Under this clause, use of voice features on the Perplexity platform results in collection of audio recordings of the user's voice queries. The policy does not specify a separate retention schedule or deletion mechanism specific to voice audio data.
How other platforms handle this
The right to notice. You have the right to be notified which categories of Personal Data are being collected and the purposes for which the Personal Data is being used.
In certain circumstances, the right to data portability, which means that you can request that we provide certain Personal Data we hold about you in a machine-readable format
If you want to see what information we have collected about you, you can request a copy of your data in the Data & Privacy section of your User Settings. You should receive your data packet within 30 days.
Monitoring
Perplexity AI has changed this document before.
Receive same-day alerts, structured change summaries, and monitoring for up to 20 platforms.
"When you use voice features of our services, we may collect audio data, including recordings of your voice queries, to process and respond to your requests.Excerpt from Perplexity AI's Privacy Policy
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Voice audio data collection implicates Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) if voiceprints are derived, Texas Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act (CUBI), Washington My Health MY Data Act where applicable, and GDPR Article 9 if biometric data is processed to uniquely identify individuals. The FTC also applies general data security and deceptive practices standards. State AGs in Illinois, Texas, and Washington have enforcement authority for their respective biometric statutes. 2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High for jurisdictions with biometric privacy statutes. If Perplexity's voice processing pipeline derives voiceprints or biometric identifiers from audio, BIPA requires written informed consent and a published data retention schedule prior to collection. Violations carry statutory damages of up to $5,000 per willful violation under BIPA, creating class action exposure. 3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: Illinois users face the highest exposure given BIPA's strict consent and retention schedule requirements. Texas and Washington users are protected by their respective biometric and health data statutes. GDPR Article 9 applies to EU/EEA users if voice data is used to derive biometric identifiers. 4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Enterprise customers deploying Perplexity in Illinois, Texas, or Washington should assess whether Perplexity's voice data practices satisfy applicable biometric consent requirements before deploying voice features to employees or end users. Data processing agreements should address biometric data specifically. 5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should determine whether Perplexity's voice processing constitutes biometric data collection under BIPA and equivalent state statutes, and whether the current policy disclosures and consent mechanisms satisfy those requirements. A specific retention and destruction schedule for voice audio data should be reviewed and documented.
Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.
Ad personalization controls removed. Contact scanning added. Advertiser data partnerships quietly dropped. A timeline of every change.
Provision-level monitoring, governance timelines, and regulatory mapping built from archived source documents and historical version tracking.
Voice audio data is a distinct and sensitive category of biometric-adjacent personal data in several jurisdictions. This provision creates compliance obligations under Illinois BIPA for voiceprint data, and may engage additional requirements in Texas and Washington, as well as heightened scrutiny under GDPR as a special category if biometric processing is involved.
Under this clause, use of voice features on the Perplexity platform results in collection of audio recordings of the user's voice queries. The policy does not specify a separate retention schedule or deletion mechanism specific to voice audio data.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 295 platforms. See the full comparison.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Perplexity AI.