BackgroundErase is privacy-first by default. That means we do not use your uploads to improve our models unless you explicitly opt in. If you want to help us improve model quality for your industry, workflow, or image type, you can do that by turning on the opt-in control yourself.
Where to find it: there is an opt-in button at the top of the account page on backgrounderase.com/account .
We want this choice to be clear and intentional. If you do nothing, your uploads are not used for model improvement by default. If you decide you want to help us improve performance for your use case, the opt-in button at the top of your account page is the way to give that permission.
Why someone would choose to opt in
Some users want the strongest privacy posture possible and prefer never to contribute training data. Others are happy to help improve the model, especially when they work in a specific niche and want BackgroundErase to become even better for that category of imagery over time.
Opting in can make particular sense if your workflow involves images that differ from generic consumer photos, such as:
- Ecommerce product images
- Automotive inventory photos
- Marketplace listing images
- Studio or catalog photography
- Industry-specific asset pipelines
- High-volume business workflows with recurring image patterns
In those cases, some users choose to opt in because they want to help us improve the model on the kinds of images they care about most.
How to opt in
The process is simple:
- Go to backgrounderase.com/account
- Look at the top of the account page
- Find the AI Training Data button
- Turn the opt-in on if you want to participate
That top-of-page button is the key control. We designed it to be visible and explicit because we do not want this choice to be hidden in fine print or buried deep in settings.
Important: opting in requires a deliberate action from you through the button at the top of the account page.
What opting in means
When you opt in, you are explicitly allowing BackgroundErase to use your data to help improve our models. The purpose of that program is to make the system better over time, especially in the kinds of real-world workflows users depend on every day.
The key point is that this does not happen by default. Opting in is the step that gives us that permission. Without it, your uploads are not used for model improvement by default.
What happens if you do not opt in
If you leave the opt-in button off, the default privacy-first policy remains in place. That means your uploads are not used for model improvement by default.
Just as importantly, if you do not explicitly turn this on, we do not retain your data for over 24 hours. This is one of the most important parts of our privacy-first posture, and it is a major reason many businesses and privacy-conscious users choose BackgroundErase.
Default state: no opt-in means no model-improvement use by default and no data retention over 24 hours.
Why this is different from many AI products
Many AI products are built around an implicit assumption that uploads can be folded into future training unless a user finds a way to prevent it. We think that is backwards.
At BackgroundErase, participation in model improvement is something a user actively chooses. The opt-in button at the top of the account page exists because we want the boundary to be explicit. If a user wants to help, they can. If they do not, their data is not treated as a default training library.
Why industry-specific opt-in can matter
Some image categories benefit heavily from real-world diversity. For example, automotive photos, marketplace listings, product catalog images, and specialized studio workflows often have different edge cases than generic portrait or lifestyle images.
When users in those workflows choose to opt in, they can help improve performance on the types of images their industry actually depends on. That is why we frame the opt-in not just as “help improve the model,” but more specifically as helping improve it for your industry and your workflow.
Opting in does not change ownership
Choosing to opt in does not mean you give up ownership of your images. Your uploaded images remain your exclusive property. We do not claim intellectual property rights over the images you upload.
The opt-in setting is about permission for model improvement use. It is not an ownership transfer.
Who should opt in?
Opting in is a personal or organizational choice. It may make sense for users who:
- Want to help improve BackgroundErase over time
- Work in a niche industry and want better performance for that category
- Are comfortable participating in model improvement
- Understand that the default privacy-first mode can be changed by choice
Users who prefer the strongest default privacy posture should simply leave the opt-in off. That is exactly why the product is designed to make non-participation the default.
The simplest version of the guide
If you want to help improve BackgroundErase for your industry, go to backgrounderase.com/account and use the opt-in button at the top of the account page. If you do not turn that on, your uploads are not used for model improvement by default, and we do not retain your data for over 24 hours.