---
title: "Modal | Ethical Stack"
url: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/modal/
catalog_version: f6baff2119d0e9158520da7fbe4232011dac79f25bd08757436d7a1dbd593db2
---

# Modal

A developer compute platform for running Python functions, containers, GPU jobs and inference services on managed infrastructure.

Canonical profile: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/modal/

Scope: Modal Functions, sandboxes, server endpoints and inference products; retention is product-specific, and customer-created volumes or images persist until deleted.

Published overall: 4.2; 5/6 dimensions rated.

Round the equal-weight mean of available numerical ratings to one decimal; require at least four of six for an overall score. BDS status stays outside the mean; for eligible profiles, a boycott target caps the final score at 2/10 and a pressure target subtracts one point (minimum 1). Not listed and not checked do not adjust the score.

## Energy practices

Finding: 2/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/modal/#energy

Modal has identifiable product documentation, but no measured energy footprint or clean-electricity sourcing evidence for the assessed route.

Reason: 1 + 1 reporting + 0 electricity + 0 controls = 2/10. This grades documented practices and transparency.

Argument: The official sources describe how Modal is delivered and used. They provide no dated, quantitative energy or water report for this product and no evidence tying its requests to clean electricity. The pages reviewed also name no energy-saving workload or compute control.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Modal Functions, sandboxes, server endpoints and inference products; retention is product-specific, and customer-created volumes or images persist until deleted.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Per-request electricity and water use, regional power mix and independently verified clean-electricity sourcing for Modal remain unpublished.

```json
{
  "method": "practices-transparency-v1",
  "scope": "Modal Functions, sandboxes, server endpoints and inference products; retention is product-specific, and customer-created volumes or images persist until deleted.",
  "components": {
    "disclosure": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "The Modal documentation identifies the service route, but provides no dated, quantitative energy or water report for this product.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://modal.com/",
        "https://modal.com/legal/terms",
        "https://modal.com/docs/guide/security"
      ]
    },
    "electricity": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No reviewed official source ties this workload to metered, regional or hourly clean electricity; this is an evidence gap.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://modal.com/",
        "https://modal.com/legal/terms",
        "https://modal.com/docs/guide/security"
      ]
    },
    "demand": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The reviewed Modal documentation names no energy-saving compute or workload setting for this route; no physical savings are inferred from speed, pricing or general configuration choices.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://modal.com/",
        "https://modal.com/legal/terms",
        "https://modal.com/docs/guide/security"
      ]
    }
  },
  "actualImpactMeasured": false
}
```

- [Modal serverless compute platform](https://modal.com/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal Terms of Service and DPA](https://modal.com/legal/terms) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal security, privacy and retention documentation](https://modal.com/docs/guide/security) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Training data

Finding: Depends on the model

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/modal/#training-rights

Training-data rights vary with the model selected for Modal; check that model’s source and license.

Reason: Select the exact model and provider used by this feature to assess the training-data permissions for that release.

Argument: Modal can use different model routes. Its product policy describes how requests are handled, while training-data provenance and permissions depend on the selected model. Review that release’s source disclosure, license and creator controls separately.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Modal Functions, sandboxes, server endpoints and inference products; retention is product-specific, and customer-created volumes or images persist until deleted.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: The selected model name, version and provider can vary by feature or setting. Those details are needed for a model-specific training-data review.

```json
{
  "method": "training-rights-evidence-v1",
  "scope": "The stated training release or selected model",
  "components": null,
  "routeDependency": "Select the exact model and provider used by this feature to assess the training-data permissions for that release.",
  "modelReference": null
}
```

- [Modal serverless compute platform](https://modal.com/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal Terms of Service and DPA](https://modal.com/legal/terms) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal security, privacy and retention documentation](https://modal.com/docs/guide/security) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Your data & privacy

Finding: 7/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/modal/#privacy

Modal deletes function inputs and outputs after up to seven days and does not store Server Endpoint payloads; logs and customer files follow separate retention.

Reason: Modal’s docs say Server and Auto Endpoint requests are proxied without storage, while Function inputs and outputs can remain for up to seven days. Logs last from one to 30 days by plan, and volumes persist until the customer deletes them. Its terms also prohibit AI training on Customer Data without written consent.

Argument: Modal’s docs say Server and Auto Endpoint requests are proxied without storage, while Function inputs and outputs can remain for up to seven days. Logs last from one to 30 days by plan, and volumes persist until the customer deletes them. Its terms also prohibit AI training on Customer Data without written consent.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Modal Functions, sandboxes, server endpoints and inference products; retention is product-specific, and customer-created volumes or images persist until deleted.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Map each function, endpoint, log, snapshot, volume and subprocessor to its retention period; the runtime configuration can retain data beyond the request path.

- [Modal serverless compute platform](https://modal.com/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal Terms of Service and DPA](https://modal.com/legal/terms) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal security, privacy and retention documentation](https://modal.com/docs/guide/security) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Openness

Finding: 4/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/modal/#openness

Modal publishes detailed runtime and data-retention documentation and a developer SDK, but its hosted compute service and control plane are not self-hostable software.

Reason: Modal publishes detailed runtime and data-retention documentation and a developer SDK, but its hosted compute service and control plane are not self-hostable software.

Argument: Modal publishes detailed runtime and data-retention documentation and a developer SDK, but its hosted compute service and control plane are not self-hostable software.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Modal Functions, sandboxes, server endpoints and inference products; retention is product-specific, and customer-created volumes or images persist until deleted.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: The cited product pages do not provide a complete source release, reproducible model pipeline and license package for the full assessed service. Individual model licenses and artifacts can differ.

- [Modal serverless compute platform](https://modal.com/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal Terms of Service and DPA](https://modal.com/legal/terms) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal security, privacy and retention documentation](https://modal.com/docs/guide/security) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Worker protections

Finding: 1/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/modal/#labour

Public sources for Modal describe the product, but do not report pay, worker voice or independent safeguards for the people who build and support it.

Reason: 1 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 1/10. Documented worker protections; missing disclosure is an evidence gap.

Argument: The official pages reviewed for Modal do not report worker pay and conditions, representation or independent follow-through across employees, contractors and AI supply-chain workers. The low evidence score records what those sources leave unanswered; it is not a finding of mistreatment.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Modal Functions, sandboxes, server endpoints and inference products; retention is product-specific, and customer-created volumes or images persist until deleted.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Pay, contractor protections, grievance outcomes and independent checks for Modal's wider workforce remain unreported in the cited product documentation.

```json
{
  "method": "worker-safeguards-evidence-v1",
  "entity": "Modal",
  "company": "Modal",
  "scope": "Modal Functions, sandboxes, server endpoints and inference products; retention is product-specific, and customer-created volumes or images persist until deleted.",
  "components": {
    "conditions": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The reviewed product and legal pages give no qualifying pay or conditions disclosure for AI supply-chain workers.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://modal.com/",
        "https://modal.com/legal/terms",
        "https://modal.com/docs/guide/security"
      ]
    },
    "voice": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No worker representation, grievance or remedy mechanism was established in these cited official materials.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://modal.com/",
        "https://modal.com/legal/terms",
        "https://modal.com/docs/guide/security"
      ]
    },
    "assurance": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No independent worker-level assurance covering the product supply chain was established.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://modal.com/",
        "https://modal.com/legal/terms",
        "https://modal.com/docs/guide/security"
      ]
    }
  },
  "disclosureLimited": true
}
```

- [Modal serverless compute platform](https://modal.com/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal Terms of Service and DPA](https://modal.com/legal/terms) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal security, privacy and retention documentation](https://modal.com/docs/guide/security) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## Military ties

Finding: 7/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/modal/#military-contracts

No military relationship for Modal was identified in the official sources reviewed for this profile.

Reason: 7 base + 0 safeguard adjustment = 7/10 (0 of 9 safeguard points; every 3 adds 1). No military relationship was established in the cited sources. This ranks above known defense ties without claiming a verified clean record.

Argument: The cited product and policy material does not describe a defense customer or military deployment by Modal. The score reflects an unverified relationship with no published safeguards in these sources, not a confirmed absence.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Modal corporate relationship; no specific deployment of Modal inferred

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: This source review does not cover undisclosed customers, contracts, subcontractors or deployments.

```json
{
  "method": "military-ties-priority-v2",
  "entity": "Modal",
  "company": "Modal",
  "scope": "Modal corporate relationship; no specific deployment of Modal inferred",
  "components": {
    "restrictions": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No binding military-specific restriction was found in the cited public pages.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://modal.com/",
        "https://modal.com/legal/terms",
        "https://modal.com/docs/guide/security"
      ]
    },
    "oversight": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No military-specific oversight or remedy was established in the cited public pages.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://modal.com/",
        "https://modal.com/legal/terms",
        "https://modal.com/docs/guide/security"
      ]
    },
    "transparency": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The cited material does not disclose a relevant military relationship.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://modal.com/",
        "https://modal.com/legal/terms",
        "https://modal.com/docs/guide/security"
      ]
    }
  },
  "disclosureLimited": true,
  "relationship": "not-established",
  "relationshipReason": "The official pages reviewed describe the product, service and user terms; they do not identify a defense relationship or deployment. No identity, nationality or unrelated-company inference is used.",
  "score": 7,
  "baseScore": 7,
  "safeguardPoints": 0,
  "safeguardAdjustment": 0,
  "rawScore": 7,
  "cap": null
}
```

- [Modal serverless compute platform](https://modal.com/) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal Terms of Service and DPA](https://modal.com/legal/terms) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

- [Modal security, privacy and retention documentation](https://modal.com/docs/guide/security) (primary; checked 2026-10-28)

## BDS targets

Finding: Not listed

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/modal/#israel-palestine

Modal is not named in the two official BNC campaign lists checked on 2026-10-28; this is not an endorsement.

Reason: Campaign category, excluded from numerical scoring.

Argument: The check is limited to the BNC consumer-boycott guide and No Tech campaign. Neither list names Modal; the result says nothing about other campaigns or suppliers.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Modal Functions, sandboxes, server endpoints and inference products; retention is product-specific, and customer-created volumes or images persist until deleted.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: This check does not cover every BDS campaign, local campaign, supplier, investment or subsequent list change; it is not an endorsement or clean-record conclusion.

- [BNC live Guide to BDS boycott targets](https://bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott) (campaign; checked 2026-10-28)

- [BNC No Tech campaign](https://bdsmovement.net/no-tech-oppression-apartheid-or-genocide) (campaign; checked 2026-10-28)

## Reading the evidence

- Assessments are provisional editorial judgments. Cite the profile and the underlying sources, and retain confidence, scope and unknowns.

- Unknown, not-applicable and model-dependent are different states. Missing evidence does not establish good or bad conduct.

- Company-level evidence does not establish use of a particular product or model. Account plan, model, host and route can change an assessment.

- Energy scores describe documented practices and transparency, not measured request emissions. Zero component points can mean an evidence gap.

- Published overall scores require at least four of six numerical dimensions. Preserve coverage and BDS adjustments; BDS itself is categorical.

- No named BDS target found is limited to the reviewed campaign sources and is not approval. Personalized priorities do not change the published overall score.

- Review and source-check dates describe the research, not this deployment. Fetch current primary sources when the decision requires current verification.

Methodology: https://ethicalstack.ai/methodology/