Users of ChatGPT should be aware that their public conversations can now be easily indexed by search engines such as Google and Bing. By filtering search results to include only URLs from the domain “https://chatgpt.com/share”, users can discover shared ChatGPT logs. This helpful new feature shines a light on bigger questions regarding privacy and accessibility in our increasingly digital world.
Amanda is a senior writer at TechCrunch. Her work focuses on the intersection of technology and culture, and she recently featured this exciting new development. Silberling received her B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania, and was a Princeton in Asia Fellow in Laos. Those experiences give her a unique perspective on the potential impacts of the ChatGPT conversations we make searchable.
There’s no stopping users from sharing their ChatGPT conversations. All they need to do is hit the “share” button and choose the “create link” option. The new URL, with “/share” added to the end, can then be shared with all those who want to view the dialogue. That’s very important, because only discussions made public in this way are considered publicly available.
Beyond the possible release and indexing of ChatGPT logs, there is even greater potential for abuse with other public-facing government documents. For instance, files stored on Google Drive may appear in search results if the “Anyone with link can view” setting is enabled.
Amanda Silberling over at TechCrunch has documented a number of cases where users have expressed their experiences with ChatGPT in glowing terms. In another highlighted example, a user asked for help rewriting their resume to apply for one particular job. Even with ChatGPT’s help, though, the user ended up writing their own LinkedIn profile. They expressed that they lost out on the opportunity.
ChatGPT conversation indexing offers a fascinating look at the inner workings of human minds. Strangers’ interactions with the AI can now be found through search engine filtering, opening up new avenues for understanding how individuals engage with technology.
A Google spokesperson commented on the broader implications of content being made public online, stating, “Neither Google nor any other search engine controls what pages are made public on the web.” This underscores the crucial role users play in deciding what information is made public.
Privacy continues to be an issue plaguing many ChatGPT enthusiasts. Per ChatGPT/OpenAI, “your name, custom instructions, and any messages you add after sharing remain private. This userscript is intended to let users know that their personal information will not be shared when sharing conversations.