Trust & Privacy

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Trust starts with understanding how SCOUT works, what information it can access, and where its limits are. This page covers the basics in plain language. If you want the full details, you can also read our complete Privacy Statement and Terms of Use.

Responsible Use

While SCOUT is a powerful assistant, it is most effective when used as a catalyst for work rather than the final word. To ensure the best outcomes, please follow these guidelines:

  • Share Only What SCOUT Needs: SCOUT is approved to handle UC Institutional Information classified up to Protection Level 3 (P3). Even when information is permitted, avoid sharing personal or confidential details unless SCOUT needs them to help with your request. Never enter P4 information, passwords, authentication credentials, or other secrets used to access accounts or systems. Learn more about UC Data Protection Levels.
     
  • Verify the Facts: SCOUT can make mistakes. Check citations and verify important information before using it to make consequential decisions.

 

Privacy & Data Protection

  • Conversations aren’t used to train AI models.

  • Conversations are retained for 90 days after the last interaction.

  • Conversations are logged; access to anonymized logs is limited to authorized OIT administrators.

  • Memory is separate, user-managed, and not visible to administrators.

  • Connected systems don’t give you access to information you couldn’t already access directly.

Read Full Privacy Statement

Terms of Use

  • Use good judgment.
    SCOUT can make mistakes. Verify important information before acting on it.
     
  • Protect sensitive information.
    Don’t share passwords, Social Security numbers, financial account information, or other sensitive information SCOUT doesn’t need.
     
  • Follow university policies.
    Use SCOUT consistently with UC Merced’s Acceptable Use Policy and other policies that apply to your work.
     
  • You’re responsible for your work.
    SCOUT can help you find information, think through a task, or create content, but it doesn’t replace your judgment or the authority responsible for university decisions.

 

Review Full Terms of Use

 

Understanding SCOUT's Boundaries

It is important to understand exactly what SCOUT can and cannot access. By defining these boundaries, we create measurable expectations for the tool's performance. SCOUT’s information-handling approval and its system access are different things. SCOUT is approved to handle information up to P3, but it can only access university information and systems that have actually been connected and authorized.

What SCOUT Can Access Today

  • University Knowledge
    Information from UC Merced websites, UCOP resources, the campus directory, and other approved sources.

  • Information You Provide
    The questions, instructions, documents, and other information you intentionally share during a conversation.

  • Your SCOUT Memory
    Context you’ve allowed SCOUT to remember across conversations. You can review, add, disable, or manage memory in your settings.

  • Permission-Aware Integrations
    Some beta capabilities can connect to university systems such as Oracle. SCOUT respects your existing access—you don’t gain access to information simply by asking SCOUT for it.

What SCOUT Can’t Access Today
  • P4 (High) Information: Institutional Information classified as Protection Level 4 (P4) under UC’s IS-3 Information Security Policy.
  • Academic Records: Private student grades, transcripts, or enrollment status.
  • CatCourses Materials: Private course content, assignments, or student submissions.
  • Financial & Payroll Data: Your personal pay stubs, tax info, or specific information about campus financial accounts.
  • High-Sensitivity Data: Any data classified as P4. (highly restricted/confidential).

 

These boundaries will change as new integrations are evaluated and introduced. We’ll update this page as SCOUT’s access changes.