ChatGPT chats were dropped by Google: Removed after backlash

OpenAI stated that the feature, which makes users' chats visible to search engines like Google, poses "too many risks of people unintentionally sharing their private information," and has completely removed the option to index chats from the ChatGPT interface. A Google search for site:chatgpt.com/share no longer yields any results. However, OpenAI stated that the feature hasn't been completely removed from all users, and some chats are still visible on other search engines like Bing and DuckDuckGo.

WHY DID THE FEATURE CREATE A PROBLEM?

This sharing feature, introduced in May 2023, aimed to allow users to easily share links rather than take screenshots of chats. However, the "Allow this chat to be discoverable in search engines" checkbox that appeared after sharing a chat was misunderstood or overlooked by many users. A simple Google search revealed that many private chats, ranging from those consulting with ChatGPT about relationship issues to those seeking help from lonely veterans, were publicly available. While these links didn't include usernames or account information, names or phrases within the chat content could identify individuals.

WHAT DOES OPENAI SAY?

OpenAI Security Director Dan Stuckey explained the decision to remove the feature completely:

"This feature left a huge gap open for people to unknowingly share private information. That's why we're removing it. We're also purging existing content from search engines." OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently emphasized the sensitivity of this publicly accessible data, saying, "People tell ChatGPT the most personal things in their lives. Young people, in particular, use it as a therapist."

PRIVACY CONCERNS AND LEGAL PROCEDURES

According to OpenAI's FAQ, a chat is only indexed in search engines when a user checks the box. However, many users either didn't realize or didn't care about the meaning of this box. Additionally, OpenAI is obligated to hand over user chats in legal proceedings when necessary, meaning they can be used as evidence in court.

SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON OTHER PLATFORMS

Meta also encountered a similar issue in June, sparking outrage when shared AI chats appeared in other users' feeds. Following this issue, Meta subsequently added a warning screen.

After Google renamed Bard to Gemini, shared chats began appearing in search results, and Google removed these links from search results.