Anthropic Codifies Bot Etiquette in Policy Overhaul
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The AI developer is introducing rules against 'cruel behavior' toward Claude as part of a broader crackdown on surveillance and weapons development.
Anthropic is updating its usage policies to prohibit "sustained and needless abusive or cruel behavior" toward its Claude chatbot, according to reporting from The Register. The new rules, which take effect November 12, target extreme cases where users repeatedly act cruelly without a discernible purpose.
Anthropic clarified that the policy will not apply to model testing, research, dark creative themes, or standard user frustration. To enforce these rules, the company will rely on a feature introduced in August 2025 as part of "model welfare" research, which allows Claude to terminate conversations with users who are persistently abusive.
The etiquette update is part of a wider policy overhaul. The Register reports that Anthropic is tightening restrictions on deceptive influence campaigns after noting that commercial organizations, government propaganda offices, and state media outlets used Claude to create fabricated news sites and fake accounts. While the company has removed a blanket ban on personalized political targeting to allow for legitimate activities like nonprofit voter information translation, it maintains prohibitions on the misuse of personal information and deceptive targeting.
Additionally, Anthropic has expanded its weapons ban to include components and software, specifically citing attempts to use Claude for autonomous vehicles and armed drone guidance systems. The updated policy also prohibits using the AI to develop surveillance tools or to recommend individuals for police investigation, arrest, or charging. Finally, the company now requires a qualified human operator to monitor any physical equipment connected to Claude that is capable of causing injury.