ChatGPT’s chat-sharing feature is now private by default after users unintentionally exposed sensitive data.
Teh now-removed feature allowed users to make specific conversations public. A checkbox,”make this chat discoverable,” was available when users opted to share. This setting, requiring explicit user action, enabled search engines like Google to index the shared links. While not automatic,the function led to the accidental public exposure of private information. This included resumes, job applications, and discussions about health matters.
Confusing interface led to accidental exposure
Researchers discovered that these shared chats were easily found using specific search queries. An inquiry by online research expert Henk van Ess uncovered over 500 shared chats. Some contained potentially damaging information, such as admissions of illegal activity, corporate secrets, and attempts to generate inappropriate content. This included executives admitting to insider trading and users detailing cyberattack plans.
User interface issues also contributed to the problem.Many users reported that the prompts for sharing conversations were unclear. They did not explicitly state that checking the “discoverable” box would allow search engines to index the content. Some users admitted to clicking it by mistake, believing it was necessary to create a shareable link.
A spokesperson for Google clarified that search engines control what content is surfaced but do not control what gets indexed. “Publishers of these pages have full control over whether search engines index them,” the spokesperson stated.
OpenAI works to de-index shared chats
In response, OpenAI has not onyl removed the “Make Discoverable” checkbox but has also disabled the indexing feature entirely.The company is actively working with search engines to de-index previously shared links. While efforts are underway,some links may still be accessible on certain search engines like Bing and DuckDuckGo.
OpenAI’s Chief Information Security Officer, Dane Stuckey, described the feature as a “short-lived experiment” that failed due to the significant risk of accidental exposure. Stuckey confirmed on X that users had to actively opt-in to make chats discoverable. “Ultimately, we think this feature introduced too many opportunities for folks to accidentally share things they didn’t intend to, so we’re removing the option,” he stated.
Stuckey added that OpenAI is working to remove indexed content from relevant search engines and emphasized the company’s commitment to privacy. “Security and privacy are paramount for us, and we’ll keep working to maximally reflect that in our products and features,” he said.
OpenAI has disabled a chat-sharing feature for its ChatGPT service following an investigation into privacy concerns. Shared conversations, previously discoverable via search engines, are now private by default.
