Your ChatGPT Chats Might Be Public on Google

A recent investigation has revealed a significant privacy issue for ChatGPT users: conversations shared via a link are being indexed by Google, making them publicly searchable.

The Unexpected Public Nature of Shared Chats

According to a detailed report from Fast Company, shared conversations from ChatGPT are not as private as users might believe. The process of Google indexing these chats could potentially expose what were intended to be private exchanges to a much wider audience, creating serious privacy concerns for those who assumed a limited scope of visibility for their shared links.

How Private Information Becomes Public

When a user clicks the “Share” button in ChatGPT, it generates a unique URL. This function is commonly used to send a conversation to a friend or to save it for personal reference, with the natural expectation that only people with the link can see it. However, it is possible to use a specific Google site search to uncover thousands of these conversations. Many users are likely unaware that this simple act of sharing can lead to their chats appearing in Google's search results. The full extent to which affected users understand that their conversations are now publicly accessible is unknown.

The Scope of The Exposure

A targeted Google search reveals nearly 4,500 conversations have been indexed. While not all contain sensitive information, this figure may not represent the total number of exposed chats, as Google may not have indexed every shared link. The content found in these public chats is alarming. It includes sensitive personal details such as stories of addiction, experiences with physical abuse, discussions on mental health, and even concerns about AI surveillance. Although ChatGPT does not display user identities, users may inadvertently reveal who they are by including personal details in their prompts. Due to the sensitive nature of this information, Fast Company opted not to link to or provide detailed descriptions of the exposed chats.