Quick answer
Copilot has separate controls for product telemetry, code snippet retention, and whether your code is used to train models. A personal setting can be overridden by an organization policy. Check both the account setting and the organization policy before assuming which applies.
The three settings
| Setting | Controls | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Telemetry | Usage and error events | User and org |
| Code retention | Whether snippets are stored | Org policy |
| Model training | Whether code is used for training | User and org |
| Content exclusion | Files Copilot cannot see | Org policy |
Check what applies to you
- Open GitHub Settings, then Copilot.
- Read the data and privacy section.
- Ask an admin whether an organization policy overrides it.
- For content exclusion, check the repository or organization policy file.
How this relates to usage tracking
Usage tracking records token or credit counts, not code. A local tracker such as UsageAtlas reads session metadata on your machine and does not need access to repository content. That keeps the privacy question separate from the cost question.
What the data setting controls
The data usage setting controls whether your code snippets and other content may be used to improve the product. It is a privacy control, not a usage control: changing it does not alter your allowance, your request count, or your bill.
- Personal accounts choose their own setting.
- Organization policy can override or lock it.
- Disabling it does not reduce premium requests.
- It does not affect whether code is sent to the model to answer you.
For the accounting side, see premium requests; for local-first alternatives, anonymous usage stats.
Questions, answered
Does Copilot train on my code?
That depends on your plan and settings. Duplicate detection and training use are separate controls; check the current policy for your account.
Can an organization override my privacy setting?
Yes. Organization policy can be stricter or different from the personal default, and it wins for business seats.
Does UsageAtlas read my code?
No. It reads usage metadata from local session files, not repository content.