VERIFIEDRedline · Aug 20, 2026
REDLINE-2026-001 · Arbitration, AI Inputs & Fees
Google Ads — Terms of Service
Scope: Google Ads advertiser accounts (all regions); does not cover other Google product terms
Published by Google: Jun 1, 2026
Effective: Jul 1, 2026
Verified by Redline: Aug 20, 2026
Why this status: Primary Google support documentation confirms the policy and effective date directly, corroborated by multiple independent trade-press reports.
First full overhaul since 2018 — Dispute Resolution, AI Inputs, Fees
Advertiser inputs into conversational features were not addressed by the prior termsmay now be used across Google Ads features to improve campaign performance, disputes move from the prior process toward standard venue-based resolutionto binding arbitration under AAA rules with a 30-day opt-out, and the liability cap shifts from a total-account-spend basisto a narrower per-account basis.
What changed
Google's first Google Ads Terms of Service rewrite in eight years pulls advertiser inputs (e.g. text typed into Ads Advisor) into its systems for improving ad performance, replaces the prior dispute process with arbitration, adds a clause permitting jurisdiction-specific regulatory fees as separate invoice line items, and narrows the liability cap to a per-account basis.
Why it matters
A per-account liability cap limits recovery if a platform-wide error affects many advertisers at once — a narrower ceiling than the total-spend basis it replaces.
User Impact
- Who: all Google Ads advertisers, globally
- Action needed: none to accept — applies automatically
- Notice given: YES — CLEAR (email sent Jun 1, 2026)
- Opt-out: yes, arbitration only, within a limited post-effective window
VERIFIEDRedline · Aug 22, 2026
REDLINE-2026-002 · Content License & AI Training
Adobe — General Terms of Use
Scope: Adobe General Terms of Use (Creative Cloud / Document Cloud individual & team plans)
Published by Adobe: Jun 5, 2024
Revised: Jun 18, 2024
Current version dated: Oct 3, 2025
Verified by Redline: Aug 22, 2026
Why this status: Adobe's current Terms page and multiple independent outlets directly quote and corroborate both the original and revised language.
Section — Content License / Improving Our Services
The initial June 2024 language let Adobe access content "through both automated and manual methods" to improve services; after public backlash, Adobe's revised terms left this broad framing in placeadded an explicit statement that customer content is not used to train generative AI, except content submitted to Adobe Stock.
What changed
Adobe's June 5, 2024 Terms of Use update added language permitting access to user content "through both automated and manual methods," which creators read as permission to train AI on their work. Following backlash, Adobe published clarifications and revised terms by June 18, 2024, adding an explicit no-AI-training statement, distinguishing unreviewed local content from scanned cloud content, and adding an opt-out for its product-improvement analytics program.
Why it matters
The backlash shows what public pressure can accomplish, but it also shows how a single ambiguous phrase in a license clause — not a change in actual practice, by Adobe's own account — was enough to look like a policy reversal.
User Impact
- Who: all Creative Cloud / Document Cloud users prompted to re-accept
- Action needed: accept updated terms to keep using apps (as of Jun 2024)
- Notice given: YES — VAGUE (in-app prompt, followed by public blog clarifications)
- Opt-out: added for the product-improvement analytics program only
PARTIALLY VERIFIEDRedline · Aug 21, 2026
REDLINE-2026-003 · Arbitration Clause
Discord — Terms of Service
Scope: Discord Terms of Service, U.S. users (EU/UK users are carved out of arbitration)
Reported change: May 12, 2026
Current terms retrieved: Aug 21, 2026
Prior-version diff: not yet reproduced
Why this status: Current Discord terms confirmed directly; the specific pre-May-2026 wording has not yet been independently retrieved and diffed.
Section — Dispute Resolution / Agreement to Arbitrate
Discord's current terms retain mandatory arbitration for U.S. residents with a 30-day opt-out by email, venue for non-arbitrable disputes set in New Castle County, Delaware, and a mediation step once 10% of a mass-filing batch resolves. The exact pre-May-2026 wording has not yet been independently retrieved by Redline.
What changed
A third-party document tracker records a change to Discord's Terms of Service dated May 12, 2026. Redline has confirmed the current terms directly but has not yet located and diffed the specific pre-change version — this filing is published as Partially Verified rather than Verified for that reason.
Why it matters
Discord's own arbitration clause states that a material change restarts a 30-day opt-out window. If this May 2026 update was material, users who opted out under a prior version may need to opt out again to stay out of arbitration.
User Impact
- Who: U.S.-based Discord users
- Action needed: opt out again within 30 days if you don't want arbitration
- Notice given: UNKNOWN — not independently confirmed by Redline for this update
- Opt-out: yes, by email to Discord's arbitration opt-out address
PARTIALLY VERIFIEDRedline · Aug 22, 2026
REDLINE-2026-004 · LLM Data Sharing
Reddit — Privacy Policy
Scope: Reddit Privacy Policy — applies platform-wide to public content
Revised: May 26, 2026
Effective: Jul 1, 2026
Verified by Redline: Aug 22, 2026
Why this status: Secondary reporting quotes the new clause directly with dated revision history, but Redline hasn't yet pulled and diffed the Reddit policy documents itself.
Section — How We Share Your Information
The revised policy names "LLM providers who help us compile and summarize public content" as a recipient category, broadens personalized advertising from on-Redditto on and off Reddit, and shifts its own terminology from "data"to "personal data" throughout. No opt-out is stated for the new LLM clause specifically.
What changed
Reddit's May 26, 2026 Privacy Policy revision adds a clause permitting sharing of public content with LLM providers for compiling and summarizing on-site search results, broadens ad targeting, and tightens terminology. Reporting notes the document grew from roughly 37,000 to 52,000 characters. No email, blog post, or r/announcements post marked the change — only the revision-history date at the bottom of the page.
Why it matters
Expanding the contractual basis for sharing public content with AI-related third parties, without any direct notice, is the exact pattern this site tracks — users who never revisit the policy page have no way to learn about a new data flow involving their posts and comments.
Source Trail
- Current Policy: Reddit → (not yet independently fetched by Redline)
- Reporting: State of Surveillance →
- Prior Version: not yet retrieved
- Company Announcement: none found
User Impact
- Who: all Reddit users with public content
- Action needed: none to take effect; review/delete old public posts if concerned
- Notice given: NO CLEAR NOTICE LOCATED IN OUR SEARCH — no email, blog post, or r/announcements found
- Opt-out: not stated for the LLM-sharing clause specifically
PARTIALLY VERIFIEDRedline · Aug 22, 2026
REDLINE-2026-005 · AI Training, Opt-Out Default
Starlink — Global Privacy Policy
Scope: Starlink Global Privacy Policy — all residential and roam subscribers
Updated: Jan 15, 2026
Verified by Redline: Aug 22, 2026
Prior version: archived Nov 2025
Why this status: Reuters directly compared the archived and current policy text; Redline hasn't yet independently retrieved that archive to confirm firsthand.
Section — Third-Party Sharing / AI Model Training
The January 2026 policy adds language permitting Starlink "to train our machine learning or artificial intelligence models" and to share personal data with third-party collaborators for the same purpose, unless the customer opts out. Reuters directly compared this to an archived November 2025 version which contained no AI-training language.
What changed
Starlink's Global Privacy Policy, updated January 15, 2026, added an opt-out (not opt-in) clause permitting use of customer data — including location, contact, financial, and "communication data" — to train Starlink's own or third-party AI/ML models. Reuters reviewed an archived November 2025 version and confirmed no AI-training language existed there.
Why it matters
Because the clause is opt-out, subscribers are automatically included unless they act. For Starlink's rural and maritime customers, who often have no alternative ISP, opting out by canceling service isn't a realistic option — only the account-settings toggle is.
Source Trail
- Reporting (includes direct Reuters comparison of archived Nov 2025 vs. Jan 2026 text): Reuters via Yahoo Finance →
- Additional Reporting: Internet in Space →
- Current Policy: not yet independently fetched by Redline
- Archive Snapshot: Reuters reviewed it directly; Redline has not yet pulled it independently
User Impact
- Who: all Starlink subscribers
- Action needed: opt out via account settings or app if you don't want data used for AI training
- Notice given: NO CLEAR NOTICE LOCATED IN OUR SEARCH — a support/FAQ article followed the change
- Opt-out: yes, per-account toggle
VERIFIEDRedline · Aug 22, 2026
REDLINE-2026-006 · AI Training Default Flip
GitHub Copilot — Privacy Statement
Scope: Copilot Free, Pro, Pro+, and Max individual plans only — Business and Enterprise excluded
Announced: Mar 25, 2026
Effective: Apr 24, 2026
Verified by Redline: Aug 22, 2026
Why this status: GitHub's own blog post and documentation confirm the policy, its scope, and its effective date directly.
Individual-plan interaction data (Copilot Free / Pro / Pro+ / Max)
Interaction data from individual Copilot plans previously required opt-in consent to train AI modelswill be used to train and improve our AI models unless they opt out, effective April 24, 2026. Copilot Business and Enterprise plans are unaffected.
What changed
GitHub flipped individual-plan Copilot data training from opt-in to opt-out by default: inputs, outputs, code snippets, and session context from Free, Pro, and Pro+ accounts now feed AI model training automatically unless the user disables it in Copilot settings. Business and Enterprise plans are explicitly excluded.
Why it matters
Flipping a default from opt-in to opt-out means inactive users are automatically enrolled. Multiple outlets reported GitHub's notification email didn't link directly to the opt-out toggle, adding friction to actually exercising the choice — this one was announced, but the mechanics of opting out weren't made easy.
Source Trail
- Official Announcement: GitHub Blog →
- Current Docs: GitHub Docs →
- Prior Version: opt-in default described in reporting; not yet independently diffed against an archived doc
User Impact
- Who: individual Copilot Free / Pro / Pro+ / Max subscribers (Business/Enterprise excluded)
- Action needed: disable "Allow GitHub to use my data for AI model training" in Copilot personal settings
- Notice given: YES — CLEAR (GitHub Blog post and Docs update, ~30 days ahead of effect)
- Opt-out: yes, per-account toggle
HELDRedline · Aug 22, 2026
Not published · Arbitration Opt-Out Window
T-Mobile — Terms & Conditions
Scope claimed: T-Mobile postpaid wireless Terms & Conditions (not Money, Fiber, or Business)
Candidate reported: Jul 2026 update, effective Sept 1, 2026
Checked by Redline: Aug 22, 2026
Conflict found: YES
Why this status: T-Mobile's own current opt-out FAQ contradicts the candidate's claim, and the cited prior version hasn't been retrieved — held per the Do Not Publish rule until resolved.
What was reported
A research candidate claimed T-Mobile's July 2026 Terms & Conditions update removes the 30-day arbitration opt-out window present in the August 1, 2025 version.
Why this isn't published as a filing
A July 2026 T-Mobile terms change was reported as removing the 30-day arbitration opt-out, but Redline has found conflicting current T-Mobile language that still describes a 30-day opt-out. The claim remains unverified pending direct comparison of the applicable agreement and archived prior version. T-Mobile separates its general Terms & Conditions from its dispute-resolution/opt-out mechanism, so a single account-specific page can't settle this on its own — the open question is which exact agreement governs, and whether that specific document contains the alleged change.
Primary Evidence Required
- The exact August 1, 2025 Terms & Conditions version cited by the candidate
- The exact July 2026 version, with its printed effective date confirmed against Sept 1, 2026
- A word-for-word comparison of the arbitration section in both