Anthropic's revised Usage Policy, which takes effect Nov. 12, bars customers from using Claude to "build, improve, or enhance the surveillance capabilities of tools, systems, or infrastructure designed for the surveillance uses prohibited" by the policy.
The rewritten surveillance section also prohibits using Claude to "target or track a person or their property without that person's consent," whether "in real time, on an ongoing basis, or through analysis of previously collected data." The policy says this includes "facial recognition, battlefield management, predictive policing, or monitoring in law enforcement investigations."
For policing, Claude may not be used to "make or suggest decisions in law enforcement or criminal justice processes, including decisions to investigate, charge, arrest or detain, prosecute, sentence, or grant or revoke early or conditional release." The previous version, effective Sept. 15, 2025, covered "decisions about or determining eligibility for parole or sentencing."
The weapons section now names software and drones. It bans developing or operating "software or components for the testing or operation of weapons," including "targeting, fire control, or engagement," and using Claude to "weaponize or integrate weapons onto drones, vehicles, or any unmanned or autonomous platforms."
Anthropic said in its Oct. 8 announcement that the surveillance rewrite "does not reflect a change in what we enforce in practice" and that the weapons changes "reflect how we've enforced our previous policy." The policy still allows consented tracking such as fraud detection, plus content moderation, journalism and "legal research and analysis by law enforcement agencies or courts."
Government buyers keep a carve-out carried over from the prior policy: Anthropic "may enter into contracts with certain governmental customers that tailor use restrictions to that customer's public mission and legal authorities" if it judges the safeguards adequate.
For developers and defense or public-safety contractors, the explicit wording on surveillance tooling, targeting software and armed drones narrows the room to argue a product falls outside the rules, and the exceptions now turn on consent and on contracts Anthropic negotiates case by case.