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Anthropic updates Claude system prompt to restrict lyrics and copyrighted works

The updated instructions ban reproducing copyrighted text and images while adding harm-reduction resources.

Updated Sep 5, 2026 · 15:19 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • Anthropic updated its system prompt for Fable 5.1, instructing Claude to decline reproducing song lyrics, poems, book excerpts, and copyrighted visual designs or characters.[Hacker News]
  • The new rules permit reproduction only for lyrics and poems published prior to 1929.[Hacker News]
  • The prompt directs substance inquiries away from specific dosing protocols toward external harm-reduction websites and sets a knowledge cutoff date of June 2026.[Hacker News]
  • The policy changes come as music publishers Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell pursue a lawsuit against Anthropic over training on song lyrics.[Hacker News]

Key facts

  • The Fable 5.1 system prompt explicitly instructs Claude not to reproduce song lyrics, poems, or passages from books and articles in whole or in part.[Hacker News]
  • The prompt permits Claude to reproduce song lyrics and poems that were first published before 1929.[Hacker News]
  • Anthropic faces a lawsuit from Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell alleging the company trained models on song lyric databases.[Hacker News]
  • The updated prompt prohibits generating copyrighted visual designs, logos, and recognizable characters using code formats such as SVG, canvas, or CSS.[Hacker News]
  • Claude is instructed to direct users seeking illegal substance protocols to harm-reduction sites like dancesafe.org, tripsit.me, and psychonautwiki.org.[Hacker News]
  • Fable 5.1's reliable knowledge cutoff date is set to the end of June 2026.[Hacker News]

What remains uncertain

  • According to statements made by Fable 5.1 during testing, specific tool instructions like conversation-ending procedures are injected separately and omitted from the published core system prompt.[Hacker News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.