Thousands of private ChatGPT conversations found via Google search after feature mishap

What just happened? Numerous organizations have repeatedly warned ChatGPT users over the years never to share personal information with OpenAI's chatbot. A recent incident involving a now-removed feature reveals that potentially thousands of people disclosed deeply intimate information with ChatGPT and also inadvertently made it discoverable through Google search.

OpenAI recently confirmed that it has deactivated an opt-in feature that shared chat histories on the open web. Although the functionality required users' explicit permission, its description might have been too vague, as users expressed shock after personal information from chats appeared in Google search results.

Users often share ChatGPT logs with friends, family members, and associates, assuming that only the intended recipients receive the links. However, OpenAI tested an additional option to make chats discoverable, with fine print noting that they would then appear in search engine results.

The company's messaging appears to have been too vague for ...