Perplexity
Is Perplexity safe?
- Made by
- Perplexity
- Company based in
- United States
- Trains on your chats
- Yes, unless you opt out
- People can read chats
- Not stated
- Temporary chat mode
- Yes
- Chats used for ads
- No
- Minimum age
- 13
- Regulator actions listed
- 1
- Checked on
Perplexity uses your searches and feedback to improve its own models unless you turn off the AI data setting (called “AI Data Retention” or “AI Data Usage” in its help articles). It says its contracts forbid third-party model providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic from training on Perplexity data, and that content from linked email accounts is never used for training.
History is kept until you delete it; deleted accounts are erased within 30 days. Incognito searches are never stored and expire within 24 hours. Enterprise data is never used for training, and the API has zero data retention. Perplexity holds SOC 2 Type 2. Its October 2026 privacy notice says it does not sell personal data for money, but lists identifiers, browsing and search history and general location among the data it shares with advertising partners for targeted advertising; you can opt out through cookie settings, Global Privacy Control or your phone’s settings.
We found no data protection regulator action against Perplexity. In July 2026 Germany’s state media authorities ruled that its chatbot falls under German media law, a transparency ruling rather than a privacy one.
- Company responsible for your data
- Perplexity AI, Inc.
- What is used for training
- Search queries and feedback are used to improve Perplexity's own AI models (Sonar) unless you turn off the AI data setting. Memory content may also be used. Content from linked email accounts is never used for training. Perplexity says its agreements with third-party model providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic prohibit them from training on Perplexity data.
- How to turn training off
- Settings → Preferences → Artificial Intelligence → turn off "AI Data Retention" (Memory help article). Another help article calls it the "AI Data Usage" toggle under Settings. The privacy policy says you can opt out 'in your settings page if you are logged into the Services'.
- Business and API plans
- 'Enterprise data is never used to train or fine-tune Perplexity’s models'. The DPA says Personal Data 'will not be used for training'. The Chat Completions API has a 'Zero Data Retention Policy' and customer data is not used to train models.
- How long chats are kept
- Sessions are stored in History indefinitely until you delete them. The current Enterprise privacy index says uploaded files attached to sessions have a seven-day deletion policy; the session itself is not deleted unless requested. Threads created while logged out expire after 14 days.
- After you delete a chat or account
- A deleted session can't be retrieved. If you delete your account, your 'account and personal data will be permanently deleted within 30 days'. Signing back in before then cancels the deletion. The notice adds that data may be kept where legally required, and that historical data may stay in backups.
- Human review
- Perplexity's documents do not say whether employees or contractors read conversations.
- Temporary chat
- Incognito mode. 'Searches in incognito mode are never stored', and 'all incognito sessions expire within 24 hours and are not recoverable'. Memory is always off in incognito.
- Where data is stored
- The United States and other countries. The February 2026 policy says 'we have servers for the Service in the US'. The October 2026 notice says data is transferred to countries 'including, but not limited to, the United States'. For EU/UK transfers Perplexity relies on the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and SCCs.
- Age rules
- 13. Minors between 13 and the age of majority need a parent or guardian to accept the Terms on their behalf.
- Ads
- The October 23, 2026 notice says Perplexity does not 'sell' personal data for money. Its CCPA table lists identifiers, commercial information, internet activity (including browsing and search history) and non-precise geolocation as shared with 'Advertising Partners' for targeted advertising, and it uses third-party measurement technologies such as cookies and pixels. It says it does not sell or share sensitive personal data for cross-context behavioral advertising. The earlier July 2026 wording that it does not send queries, prompts or conversation content to advertisers is no longer in the notice. Opt-outs: the cookie consent pop-up, Global Privacy Control, and your mobile device's settings for app-based ads.
- Security and certifications
- SOC 2 Type 2 certified by independent auditors (security page). The API docs also list a 2025 HIPAA gap assessment and CAIQlite. Traffic is encrypted with SSL/TLS through Cloudflare. The Enterprise blog claims encryption at rest and in transit. Trust center: trust.perplexity.ai.
- Regulator actions
Date Authority Action Source 2026-07-14 ZAK – Commission for Licensing and Supervision of the German state media authorities (proceedings led by mabb and MA HSH) Issued a first decision finding that Perplexity's AI chatbot is subject to German media law as a 'media intermediary', with transparency and diversity duties. This is a media-law ruling, not a privacy one, and Perplexity can appeal. https://medienanstalt-rlp.de/aktuelles/news/detail/zak-erlaesst-erstmalig-bescheide-gegen-ki-angebote-von-google-und-perplexity - Privacy policy
- perplexity.ai
- Terms
- perplexity.ai
- Data controls help page
- perplexity.ai
- Sources
Page URL Perplexity Privacy Notice (last updated October 23, 2026) https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/legal/privacy-notice Perplexity Privacy Policy (effective Feb 5, 2026) https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/legal/privacy-policy Perplexity Terms of Service (Jan 23, 2026) https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/legal/terms-of-service Help: What data does Perplexity collect about me? https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10354855-what-data-does-perplexity-collect-about-me Help: Account & Settings https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352990-account-settings Help: Memory https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10968016-memory Help: Incognito Mode Troubleshooting https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/12639758-incognito-mode-troubleshooting Help: Where did my sessions go? https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/12637451-where-did-my-threads-go Help: What is a Session? https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10354769-what-is-a-thread Help: Account Deletion https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10354879-account-deletion Help: Are third-party model providers training on my data? https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10354963-are-third-party-model-providers-training-on-my-data Help: Data retention and privacy for Enterprise organizations https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/11187708-data-retention-and-privacy-for-enterprise-organizations-and-users Perplexity Data Processing Addendum https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/legal/dpa API docs: Privacy & Security https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/resources/privacy-security.md Perplexity security page https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/security Perplexity Trust Center https://trust.perplexity.ai/ Medienanstalt Rheinland-Pfalz: ZAK decisions, 14 Jul 2026 https://medienanstalt-rlp.de/aktuelles/news/detail/zak-erlaesst-erstmalig-bescheide-gegen-ki-angebote-von-google-und-perplexity
Questions
Does Perplexity use my searches to train its models?
Yes, Perplexity uses your searches and feedback to improve its own models unless you turn off the AI data setting. Enterprise data is never used for training.
Do OpenAI or Anthropic get my Perplexity data?
Perplexity says its contracts forbid third-party model providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic from training on Perplexity data.
How long does Perplexity keep my history?
History is kept until you delete it, and deleted accounts are erased within 30 days. Incognito searches are never stored and expire within 24 hours.
Does Perplexity share my data with advertisers?
Its October 2026 privacy notice says it does not sell personal data for money, but it shares identifiers, browsing and search history and general location with advertising partners for targeted advertising. You can opt out through cookie settings, Global Privacy Control or your phone’s settings.
Sources: every fact on these pages comes from the company’s own privacy policy, terms, help center, trust page or official posts, and regulator actions from regulators’ own websites. Each assistant’s page lists its sources and the date we last checked them.