Codewars
- Your data trains their AI unless you switch it off in settings.
- Your data is used for personalized ads, including by third-party ad companies.
- Data is shared with partners and affiliates; you can opt out.
- The documents do not say who can read your content.
Your kata and solutions can train third-party AI unless you opt out; ads track you.
Agent Trust Hub uses AI and may make mistakes. Review reports and confirm their contents before relying on them.
Collected
Account info, your code submissions, device/IP data, cookies, and session recordings of how you use the site.
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Privacy policy
“The Services use cookies and similar technologies such as pixel tags, web beacons, clear GIFs and JavaScript (collectively, “Cookies”) to enable our servers to recognize your web browser”
Training
Your challenge work can be given to others to train AI unless you opt out; they also run interest-based ads.
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Privacy policy
“we may create Data from Personal Data related to your participation in challenges through the Services, including related User Submissions (“ Challenge Data”) to provide to third parties for their own business purposes, including to train and improve AI/ML models.”
Sharing
Service providers, ad networks, and third parties who get challenge data for AI training.
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Privacy policy
“We may serve advertisements, and also allow third-party ad networks, including third-party ad servers, ad agencies, ad technology vendors and research firms, to serve advertisements through the Services.”
Kept
They keep profile data while you have an account; other data as long as they say they need it.
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Privacy policy
“We retain Personal Data about you for as long as necessary to provide you with our Services or to perform our business or commercial purposes for collecting your Personal Data.”
Controls
You can opt out of AI training in account settings and opt out of ad cookies in cookie settings.
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Privacy policy
“You can opt out from the use of your Challenge Data for this purpose by visiting your account settings at https://www.codewars.com/users/edit”
Fine print
They can close your account anytime; you them.
No exact line could be verified.
Expand “Read the exact line” to see the source alongside the explanation.
What you can turn off
The controls and opt-outs their own documents describe, and where they say to find them.
Turn off AI training on your submissions
https://www.codewars.com/users/edit
Opt out of ad cookies or use Global Privacy Control
Cookie settings on the site, or a GPC signal in your browser
or access of personal data
Email info@codewars.com or the rights form described in the privacy policy
If a switch is not where they say, the deletion request above still applies.
Line by line
The lines that matter most, worst first.
They can sell or give your kata and solutions to AI companies to train models.
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Terms of service
“you acknowledge and agree that the Company and its affiliates may commercialize or otherwise provide Kata Data and other User Contributions to artificial intelligence and machine learning model providers and other third parties for their own business purposes, including to train and improve artificial intelligence and machine learning models.”
For example, a solution you posted could be used to train someone else’s coding model unless you opt out.
You give them a forever license to use and everything you post, even after you leave.
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Terms of service
“you hereby grant and shall grant the Company and its affiliates and service providers, and each of their and our respective licensees, successors and assigns the , worldwide, non-exclusive, no charge, , , and transferable license to use, edit, modify, truncate, aggregate, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, , distribute and fully exploit the User Contributions”
For example, they could keep using your kata in products after you delete your account.
They can shut off your account for any reason or no reason.
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Terms of service
“Terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the Services for any or no reason, including without limitation, any violation of these Terms.”
For example, they could lock you out without warning and your posted content may be destroyed.
If someone sues them over your posts or how you used the site, you may have to pay their legal bills.
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Terms of service
“You agree to and the Andela Parties from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms or your use of the Services”
For example, if a kata you posted sparks a lawsuit, you could owe their attorney fees.
They and ad partners track your activity to show targeted ads.
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Privacy policy
“Retargeting/Advertising Cookies collect data about your online activity and identify your interests so that we can provide advertising that we believe is relevant to you.”
For example, after you visit Codewars, you might see coding-bootcamp ads on other sites.
They can record how you click and type on the site unless you change cookie settings.
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Privacy policy
“By continuing to use the Services, you consent to the use of session replay technology.”
For example, a replay tool could capture your mouse path while you solve a kata.
If they harm you, they try to cap what they owe at $100.
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Terms of service
“ANY AMOUNT, IN THE AGGREGATE, INE EXCESS OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00)”
For example, even if a bug costs you more, they say they will not pay above $100.
There is an in-account switch to stop using your challenge data for AI training.
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Privacy policy
“You can opt out from the use of your Challenge Data for this purpose by visiting your account settings at https://www.codewars.com/users/edit”
For example, you can open that settings page and turn off AI training for future submissions.
Words to know
Legal words from the lines above, in plain English.
- cookies
- Small files a website saves on your device so it can recognise you and remember what you did. For example, a cookie keeps you logged in and can also tell an ad company which sites you visited.
- tracking pixels
- Tiny invisible images or bits of code in a page, app or email that report back when and where you opened it. For example, a pixel in a marketing email tells the sender the moment you read it.
- de-identified
- Data with your name and obvious identifiers removed, though it can sometimes still be traced back to you. For example, your chats with names stripped out may still be kept and studied after you delete your account.
- personal data
- Any information that is about you or can be linked to you, from your name to your phone's ID. For example, your email, your IP address and the list of apps on your phone are all personal data.
- third parties
- Any company or person other than you and the app, such as advertisers, partners or analytics firms. For example, an analytics company that receives a record of every screen you tap is a third party.
- model training
- Using your content and conversations as examples to teach an AI system, which can then echo them in future answers. For example, a story you write in a chatbot may be studied by the company to make the next version of the bot.
- service providers
- Outside companies that handle your data on the app's instructions, such as a cloud host or an email sender. For example, the company that stores the app's files in the cloud sees your data but only does what the app tells it.
- retention
- How long a company keeps your data before deleting it. For example, a policy might keep your messages for 30 days after you delete them, or for as long as it likes.
- opt out
- Something is on by default and stays on until you find the setting and turn it off. For example, your chats may be used for training unless you go into settings and switch it off.
- affiliates
- Other companies owned by or connected to the same parent company. For example, if you use one app, its sister apps under the same owner may also get your data.
- perpetual
- Lasting forever, with no end date. For example, a perpetual licence means the company can keep using your video years after you leave.
- royalty-free
- The company can use your content without ever paying you for it. For example, your photo can appear in the app's ads and you get nothing.
How we got here · grade D · score 35/100 · 15 of 15 policy answers backed by a verified quote · 4 not stated
What does the app collect beyond what it needs to work?
They collect account and profile data, your submissions, device/IP data, cookies, analytics, and session-replay recordings.
Does it record your voice, face or body, and what happens to that?
Not stated in the documents.
Are your chats and uploads used to train AI models, and is that off by default?
Your challenge submissions can be given to third parties to train AI unless you turn that off in account settings.
Can employees or contractors read your conversations, and when?
Not stated in the documents.
Are you profiled or tracked for advertising?
Third-party ad networks use cookies and web beacons for interest-based ads across sites.
Do they sell or share your data, and can you opt out?
They say they do not sell data for money, but ad cookies may count as selling or sharing; you can opt out. De-identified challenge data may go to third parties.
What rights do they take over what you type and what the AI makes?
You grant a perpetual, irrevocable, sublicensable license over user contributions that lasts after you leave.
How long do they keep your data after you delete it, and can you delete it in the app?
They keep data as long as needed for the service; deletion is by rights request, not a stated in-app 30-day wipe.
Does it build a lasting memory or profile of you, and can you see, edit or turn it off?
Not stated in the documents.
Do they commit to basic security, and have they leaked data?
They say they use physical, technical, and organizational security measures, but no audit or bug-bounty program is described.
Is there a real age gate, and are teens protected?
You must be at least 16; they rely on you not signing up if you are younger.
Will they tell you when the rules change, and is the policy specific?
They can change the terms; it is your job to check, and keeping using the site means you accept. The policies are undated.
Can they close your account without warning, and can you get your data out first?
They can disable or terminate your account for any or no reason, and termination may destroy content tied to the account.
If something goes wrong, who pays?
The service is as-is, liability is capped around $100, and you must indemnify them for claims related to your use.
Do subscriptions renew on their own, and can you get a refund?
Not stated in the documents.
The privacy policy is 3,351 words at a professional or legal expert level (Flesch reading ease 25.9); the terms are 7,317 words at a professional or legal expert level.
