Perplexity has mastered the art of looking harmless. Fast responses, clean interface, a polite tone, it feels like the AI search engine you can trust.
But hidden behind that simple search box sits a privacy policy that reveals a very different story. And like most policies, it counts on one universal truth:
Nobody reads these things. They just click “I agree.”
So let’s decode what you actually accepted, in plain language, without the legal fog.
Perplexity Collects Almost Everything You Give It
And some things you don’t realize you’re giving.
Perplexity gathers your data from three main sources. The first one is obvious:
A. The information you give them directly
This includes the basics:
your name, email, address, phone number, login details, payment information, job application details if you ever apply, the usual identity stack.
But the important category is what the policy calls “Service Interaction Information.”
This includes:
- your prompts
- your files
- your uploads
- the AI’s output
- your pages and collections
The policy spells out the implication clearly:
“This content may constitute or contain personal information… we use this information… to generate and output new content as part of the Services.”
And if you share or make something public, they warn:
It “may be stored, displayed, reproduced, published, or otherwise used or disclosed without your permission.”
Public content becomes fair game.
B. Data collected automatically
Through cookies and tracking technologies, they record:
- device type
- operating system
- IP address
- approximate location
- click paths, timestamps, browsing behavior
- email interactions
- ad impressions
All of this is called Usage Data, and Perplexity uses it “to tailor features,” run analytics, and track user behavior.
This is normal for the industry, but still vast.
C. Information from other companies
Perplexity can combine what you do inside the app with:
- analytics data (Google Analytics)
- job platforms (LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster)
- consumer marketing databases
- business partners (like telcos giving free Pro)
- your Google or Apple login information
- publicly available data
They explicitly say they may use this to “better customize advertising and marketing.”
Your profile gets richer than you think.
Your Prompts and Outputs Are Stored and Used
Everything you type, upload, or generate is stored. They use it to:
- provide your results
- maintain your account
- ensure safety
- conduct internal research
- improve the service
- improve their AI models in general
The policy states:
“We may use any of the above information to provide you with and improve the Services (including our AI models).”
Notice the phrasing.
They don’t explicitly say your prompts train future models, but they leave the door open wide enough for a truck to drive through.
Ambiguity is the most powerful tool in privacy language.
Sync Gmail or Calendar? They Can Read Emails, With Limits
If you connect Gmail:
- email content
- contacts
- calendar entries
- inbox messages
become accessible to Perplexity.
But here’s the good news:
They legally bind themselves to Google’s API rules.
The policy clarifies:
They “do not use or disclose Email Service Information to create, train, improve or fine-tune AI models.”
This is one of the rare areas with strong restrictions.
Still: inbox access is sensitive territory.
Just because the rules are strict doesn’t mean the risk disappears.
Your Data Travels Through Many Third Parties
Perplexity shares your information with a whole ecosystem of companies:
- cloud hosts
- security vendors
- analytics providers
- payment processors
- AI and content-generation vendors
- business partners (free Pro access partners)
- social integrations (Discord, X/Twitter)
- auditors, lawyers, accountants
- companies involved in mergers or acquisitions
The policy lists these under “Disclosure of Your Information,” noting that data is shared whenever required “to provide the Services.”
This means:
Your data doesn’t stay inside Perplexity’s own walls.
It moves, because that’s how modern SaaS works.
Perplexity Can Use “De-Identified” Data for Anything
They can strip away identifiable details and then:
- use the data
- analyze it
- combine it
- share it
- keep it indefinitely
- apply it to any purpose
They write:
“We may use such Deidentified Information for any purpose.”
De-identified doesn’t mean untraceable.
It simply means your name is removed.
Patterns often remain.
Your Data Moves Across Borders, Usually to the U.S.
Your personal information may be:
- processed in the U.S.
- accessed by U.S.-based engineering teams
- transferred to other countries
- stored on U.S. servers
If you’re outside the U.S., this means your data leaves your jurisdiction and enters a system governed by U.S. law and U.S. subpoenas.
They state:
“The personal information that we collect will be transferred to, stored at/processed in, or accessed from countries outside the jurisdiction in which you are based.”
This is standard, but important.
“Do Not Track” Signals Are Ignored
If your browser sends a Do Not Track request, Perplexity says:
“Our website is not designed to respond to such signals.”
Translation:
Tracking continues.
Data Retention Has No Clear End Date
They say they keep your data:
“for as long as is reasonably necessary for the purposes specified.”
Which is another way of saying:
Your data stays until they decide they don’t need it.
If you’ve used the service for years, your footprint is… significant.
Your Rights Depend on Where You Live
If you’re in:
- EU
- UK
- California
- or a similar jurisdiction
you get strong rights like:
- access
- deletion
- correction
- portability
- objection
- withdrawal of consent
But if you live elsewhere, including India, the policy only says:
Your rights apply “as permitted by law.”
Meaning:
Your protections vary, and they are often minimal.
Perplexity Says They Do Not Sell Your Data
They write:
“We do not ‘sell’ or ‘share’ personal information as defined under the CCPA.”
This is good, but only in the narrow legal sense.
It does not prevent:
- sharing with service providers
- business partners
- analytics networks
- cloud hosts
- internal profiling
“Selling” has a very specific meaning in privacy law.
Most data flows happen under different labels.
What This Actually Means for You
Using Perplexity means:
- your prompts and files live on their servers
- your clicks, device info, and interactions are tracked
- your data merges with analytics and external databases
- your information flows across partners
- your data may travel outside your country
- de-identified versions may live forever
- your rights vary depending on your region
- the policy can be updated anytime
None of this makes Perplexity evil.
It makes them normal.
This is how the entire AI industry runs.
But normal doesn’t mean harmless, it means you should know the tradeoff.
How to Use Perplexity Safely (Without Becoming Paranoid)
Practical, simple guidelines:
- Don’t upload IDs, bank docs, or personal contracts.
- Use a separate email for AI tools.
- Clear your Perplexity history often.
- Don’t sync Gmail unless absolutely necessary.
- Review third-party logins and disable what you don’t use.
- Avoid sharing personal details in prompts.
- Delete your account if you stop using it.
- Opt out of model training
These aren’t hacks, they’re hygiene.
The Bottom Line
Perplexity is an incredible tool.
Fast, clean, powerful, a glimpse of the future.
But the future always comes with a privacy invoice.
When you use Perplexity, you’re not just searching.
You’re revealing:
- what you search
- how you think
- what you write
- where you are
- what you click
- which devices you use
- what’s inside your inbox (if synced)
This isn’t meant to scare you away.
It’s meant to help you see the exchange clearly:
Convenience is the benefit. Your data is the cost.
And once users understand this exchange, they can finally use these tools on their own terms, not the platform’s.