OpenAI has removed a feature that allowed users’ private chats on ChatGPT to appear in Google search results, following widespread criticism and concerns about user privacy. The move comes after Fast Company exposed the issue, revealing thousands of chats were being indexed and potentially identifiable without consent.
The feature, which was launched as an experiment to help people discover useful conversations, presented users with a box labeled “Make this chat discoverable” when sharing a chat. However, some users may have been misled into selecting it due to unclear labeling, potentially leading to their sensitive information being shared online.
OpenAI’s chief information security officer, Dane Stuckey, has since acknowledged that the feature introduced too many opportunities for users to accidentally share private content. The company has confirmed that all affected chats will be removed from Google search results and promises to prioritize user privacy moving forward.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/08/chatgpt-users-shocked-to-learn-their-chats-were-in-google-search-results