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If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

#191

Post by livinglist »

lkbm wrote: post #175
livinglist wrote: post #4

Thanks for posting this, I was never made aware of this by GitHub..

If you use Github, you should have an email from ~2 days ago with the subject "Important Update to GitHub Copilot Interaction Data Usage Policy". Easy to skip over assuming it's just one of a million private policy update emails. If you don't use Github Copilot, this shouldn't effect you, and may be why you got no email. The current headline is fairly misleading--it's about Copilot usage, not private repos per se.

I see, thanks for clarification!

Re: If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

#192

Post by themafia »

tptacek wrote: post #96
jffry wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's unnecessarily splitting hairs. > interaction data—specifically inputs, outputs, code snippets, and associated context [...] will be used to train and improve our AI models So using Copilot in a private repo, where lots of that repo will be used as context for Copilot, means GitHub will be using your private repo as training data when they were not before.

No it isn't. Most people don't use Copilot, so this term change won't effect most people. You can reasonably be unhappy about it anyways (or unreasonably still be using Copilot in 2026), but it's still ultra-useful information for them to add to the discussion.

> Most people don't use Copilot

So why do any of this at all? You're putting a large part of your customer base on edge in order to improve a service that "most people don't use." The erosion of trust this brings doesn't seem like a worthwhile or prudent sacrifice.

Re: If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

#194

Post by werdnapk »

kristianp wrote: post #5

What's a good alternative for free private repos?

I've been using gitosis to manage private repos for almost 2 decades now. It's extremely easy to host your own repositories.

I just looked up gitosis on github though and it was last updated 12 years ago.... still works for me though.

Overall, hosting your own repos is very easy.

Re: If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

#195

Post by peacebeard »

lkbm wrote: post #166
peacebeard wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see it there, but I do see it in screenshots online. Maybe it was removed or moved.

Still at https://github.com/settings/copilot/features#copilot-telemet... for me. It's not a new setting, fwiw. I opted out years(??) ago.

Huh, there must be some reason it shows up for some people but not others. Weird.

Re: If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

#196

Post by saghm »

Jolter wrote: post #178
saghm wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, you will. This is what the setting says on my account when I clicked the link: > model training > Allow GitHub to collect and use my Inputs, Outputs, and associated context to train and improve AI models. Read more in the Privacy Statement Are you seriously trying to claim that the code isn't input, output, or associated context of Copilot operating on a private repo? What term do you think better applies to the…

If you are not willing to migrate out of GitHub, what you can do is to avoid using Copilot on your private repository.

I don't use Copilot, and I don't have anything I particularly care about in private repos on my account on Github. My reaction here is entirely based on principles, not how I'm going to be personally affected.

Re: If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

#197

Post by w10-1 »

https://github.com/settings/copilot/features

The feature to opt out is at the bottom under privacy: "Allow GitHub to use my data for AI model training"

TIL: you cannot opt out of a copilot-pro subscription. How is it a subscription if I can't cancel?

(Honestly, who has time to evade all these traps? Or to migrate 150+ repo's on 6+ machines...)

Re: If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

#198

Post by jawilson2 »

mrled wrote: post #155

I'm curious about specific consequences of this. I tend to think the importance of code secrecy has always been exaggerated (there are specific exceptions like hedge fund strategies and malware), even more so now in this post-Claude world. Does anyone have specific things they're trying to avoid by opting out of this?

Algorithms and models for a proprietary trading system? My personal notes? The latex text of my phd thesis?

I will go screaming and kicking and fighting into this dystopian nightmare post-privacy shithole world that so many people seem fine with. If I have to move off of every service or technology to maintain some semblance of privacy so be it.

Re: If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

#199

Post by srik »

tptacek wrote: post #96
jffry wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's unnecessarily splitting hairs. > interaction data—specifically inputs, outputs, code snippets, and associated context [...] will be used to train and improve our AI models So using Copilot in a private repo, where lots of that repo will be used as context for Copilot, means GitHub will be using your private repo as training data when they were not before.

No it isn't. Most people don't use Copilot, so this term change won't effect most people. You can reasonably be unhappy about it anyways (or unreasonably still be using Copilot in 2026), but it's still ultra-useful information for them to add to the discussion.

Make it opt-in then.

Re: If you don't opt out by Apr 24 GitHub will train on your private repos

#200

Post by tptacek »

themafia wrote: post #192
tptacek wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it isn't. Most people don't use Copilot, so this term change won't effect most people. You can reasonably be unhappy about it anyways (or unreasonably still be using Copilot in 2026), but it's still ultra-useful information for them to add to the discussion.

> Most people don't use Copilot So why do any of this at all? You're putting a large part of your customer base on edge in order to improve a service that "most people don't use." The erosion of trust this brings doesn't seem like a worthwhile or prudent sacrifice.

You're asking me to explain Microsoft AI strategy? Your guess is as good as mine.
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