When it comes to AI (Artificial Intelligence) and NLP (Natural Language Processing), Hugging Face is slowly becoming a platform that provides a centralized repository for pre-trained models, datasets, and tools. Originally started as a playful chatbot, the service has evolved over time into a thriving community for developers and researchers alike.
Think Hugging Face as the next ‘GibHub’ but for machine learning, with a strong focus on NLP. If you are new to the world of technology, then you must know that GitHub acts as an unofficial website for developers and researchers to share and showcase their passion projects. In addition to offering pre-trained AI models for NLP processing, Hugging Face also offers a curated library of datasets ready for use in machine learning projects, as well as a vibrant community that is ready to assist you at any given moment. As a result, the platform has been able to promote the ‘open-source’ culture for software projects as well as accelerate research in the AI industry.
Having said that, Hugging Face has often been criticized for its frequent API (Application Programming Interface) changes, documentation gaps, variations in the pre-trained AI models, and steep learning curve. And if you are looking to end your dependency on the service, then following our comprehensive guide can be worthwhile.
Simple Steps to Delete Your History
It should be known that since Hugging Face is a repository for all your tools, AI models, datasets, etc., there is no concept of ‘activity history’ on the platform. However, you can still decide to delete any file from your Hugging Face account, which will indirectly amount to erasing your activity history on the platform. To do that, follow the below-mentioned steps closely.
- Begin by first visiting the official website.
- Sign in to your account using your email ID or username, and then visit your ‘Hugging Face Hub’ library.
- In your library, you will be able to browse through all your files that are hosted on the platform.
- Simply select a file and then click on the ‘Delete’ option. Alternatively, you can also erase a folder by selecting the ‘Delete’ button.
- Perform the aforementioned steps a couple of times, and all your hosted files will be deleted from the platform.
How to Close Your Account
In addition to deleting your activity history with Hugging Face, you can also proceed to delete your associated account by following the recommended steps listed below.
- First, you need to head over to your Hugging Face ‘Account’ web page.
- On the landing page, you will be required to sign in to your account using your username or email address.
- Once signed in, scroll down to the bottom of your ‘Account’ page until you reach the ‘Delete My Account’ option. Proceed to click on it.
- After clicking on it, a pop-up window will open where you will need to confirm your decision by stating your username and password, and specifically type the words ‘delete my account’ in the given box.
- Once done, send in your request, and you will be contacted shortly by the company’s customer support for any further procedures.
Keep in mind that deleting your account will also delete all your saved repositories from Hugging Face, such as models and datasets. Additionally, your username will be instantly available for new users to select, and you will also be immediately billed for any usage of paid services (for the on-going month). However, for active subscriptions, you will be billed for the entirety of the remaining period.
For any burning queries or assistance, you can contact Hugging Face’s support team via email at privacy@huggingface.co.
What You Should Know of the Privacy Policy
Hugging Face features an expansive privacy policy, and learning in-depth about the same can help you mitigate any potential misuse of your personal data in the future. The company states that it collects information directly provided by users when using the platform, which includes their email addresses, full names, payment information, and any other contact information that may be used for communicating with the company.
Additionally, certain information regarding your activity on the platform will be recorded automatically, such as your session (date and location), your IP address, your website preferences, and your device details (such as its type, model, operating system, web browser, etc.).
When it comes to the utilization of the aforementioned collected information, Hugging Face states that the collected data will be used to deliver their services, operate and improve their services, conduct analysis or research on the services, communicate with the user, ensure and maintain security on the platform, and comply with any applicable laws or regulations.
Keep in mind that Hugging Face will not sell, rent, or lease any of your personal information, except when it is done using the user’s consent and when it is required to provide services to the user via the platform. And in the event of fraud or legal processes, your information will be disclosed without your consent. Lastly, your personal data will be retained on the company’s servers as long as you have an account on the platform.
