API customer text translations no longer logged by Microsoft Translator
Microsoft Translator Text API translations are no longer logged for training purposes to improve the quality of the Translator service. No data sent for translation through the Microsoft Translator Text API will be kept, and no record of the submitted text will be saved in persistent storage in any Microsoft data center.
Previously, Microsoft Translator recorded a small sample (10%) of random, non-sequential, anonymized data coming through the API. This was used for training purposes to improve translation quality. Paid subscribers, subscribing to a minimum of 250 million characters per month, were able to request what was known as the “no trace option” to ensure that their data was not used. Now, all traffic using the free or paid tiers through any Azure subscription is no trace by design.
This also means that if you access Microsoft Translator through one of our many partners and customers offering services such as website translation, social media and communication tools, games, etc., the translations are also not recorded on our servers.
This change comes as a result of Translator’s commitment to privacy and security, and the overall move towards GDPR compliance. The Microsoft Cognitive Services Trust Center also reflects this mid-January 2018 change.
However, because all API calls are now no trace, the ability for Microsoft technical support to investigate any specific Translator Text API translation issues you experience with your subscription is no longer available. For instance, if an error in your code were to request the same translation multiple times, we would only be able to report the total number of characters used, and not what text was sent, when, and from which IP address.
Additionally, please note that text translation in Microsoft Office products are already no trace by default. Specifically, text translation in the following Microsoft Office products are no trace: Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, SharePoint, Visio, Word, and Yammer.
The Translator Speech API is not yet no trace, and some data will be kept for training purposes. No trace translation for the Presentation Translator add-in for PowerPoint is available for translation of slides, but is not available for speech translation.
A small portion of text translations in free Microsoft Translator end-user products including the Microsoft Translator apps, Translator for Bing, and Translator for Microsoft Edge are potentially kept for training purposes and service improvements. You can learn about the protections for your data that are in place even without the no trace option in the Microsoft Translator Privacy Statement.
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