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ARTICLE · 04 NOVEMBER 2026

Be Nice To Claude: Anthropic's Acceptable Use Policy Updates

Marks & Clerk
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Anthropic's updated Acceptable Use Policy introduces significant changes for organisations building on Claude, extending far beyond the headline-grabbing prohibition on abusive behaviour towards the AI model. The policy now addresses deceptive campaigns, election interference, weapons development, surveillance systems, and requires human oversight for high-impact decisions affecting individuals' rights and wellbeing.

United KingdomTechnology

When Anthropic announced updates to its Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) on 8 October, most of the headlines focused on one unusual addition: users are no longer permitted to engage in sustained and needless abusive or cruel behaviour towards Claude.

It is an attention-grabbing provision and an easy one for journalists to write about. But focusing solely on the "be nice to Claude" rule risks missing a number of consequential changes for organisations building products and services on top of Anthropic's models.

The updated policy takes effect on 12 November 2026 and applies broadly to anyone interacting with Anthropic's services. That includes individuals using products such as Claude.ai, developers using the API, organisations deploying Claude through cloud providers or resellers, and end users of products that integrate Claude.

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