4,500 Private ChatGPT Chats, with Users’ Names & Locations, Appear in Google Search
In a shocking turn of events, it has been revealed that Google has indexed over 4,500 private ChatGPT conversations, including users’ names and locations, making them available to anyone with internet access. This occurred as a result of ChatGPT generating a public URL when a user employed its ‘Share’ feature to send their chats to friends or colleagues. However, OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has since removed the feature that made these chats publicly discoverable and is working to remove the existing indexed links.
The news has sent shockwaves through the tech community, raising concerns about the privacy and security of users who interact with the AI-powered chatbot. ChatGPT, which was launched in November 2022, has become increasingly popular as a tool for generating creative content, answering questions, and even assisting with language translation. However, this latest development has highlighted the potential risks associated with sharing private conversations online.
The issue was first reported by users who had shared their ChatGPT conversations with friends or colleagues using the ‘Share’ feature. They were surprised to find that their chats were not only publicly accessible but also indexed by Google, making them easily discoverable by anyone with internet access. The exposed conversations included users’ names, locations, and even personal details, raising concerns about the potential for identity theft and privacy breaches.
As news of the issue spread, OpenAI quickly took action to address the problem. The company removed the ‘Share’ feature that was responsible for generating public URLs for chats, effectively making them private again. Additionally, OpenAI is working to remove the existing indexed links, ensuring that the private conversations are no longer publicly accessible.
In a statement, OpenAI acknowledged the issue and apologized for any inconvenience caused. “We take the privacy and security of our users very seriously and are committed to ensuring that their conversations remain private,” the company said. “We are working to remove the existing indexed links and have removed the ‘Share’ feature to prevent this issue from happening again in the future.”
The incident has sparked a wider debate about the importance of online privacy and the need for tech companies to take responsibility for protecting users’ personal data. As more and more people interact with AI-powered chatbots and other online tools, it is essential that these companies prioritize user privacy and security.
In the wake of this incident, OpenAI has also emphasized the importance of users being mindful of their online interactions and taking steps to protect their personal data. “We encourage our users to be cautious when sharing their conversations online and to only share them with trusted individuals,” the company said.
The removal of the ‘Share’ feature and the efforts to remove the existing indexed links are a positive step towards addressing the issue. However, it is essential that OpenAI and other tech companies continue to prioritize user privacy and security to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Source: https://startupnews.fyi/2025/08/01/openai-is-pulling-shared-chatgpt-chats-from-google-search/
