Have you ever stopped thinking about how much your chatbot knows about you? Over the years, tools like Chatgpt have become very good at learning your preferences, habits, and even your deepest secrets. But while this can make them look more helpful and personal, it also causes some serious privacy issues. Although you learn a lot from these AI tools, they know you just as well.
A person using chatgpt on laptop (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
What Chatgpt knows
Chatgpt learns a lot about you through your conversations and stores detailed information like preferences, habits, and even sensitive information that you may inadvertently share. This data includes what you type and account-level information (such as email or location) that is often used to improve the AI model, but can also cause privacy issues if not handled improperly.
Many AI companies collect data without explicit consent and rely on large sets of data scraped off the network, which may include sensitive or copyrighted material. These practices are now under scrutiny by regulators around the world, with laws such as the European GDPR emphasizing users’ “right to be forgotten”. While Chatgpt feels like a useful companion, it is crucial to be cautious about protecting privacy.
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Why sharing sensitive information is risky
Sharing sensitive information with a generator AI tool like ChatGpt can put you at significant risks. Data breaches are a major issue, as demonstrated in March 2023, when a bug allows users to see other people’s chat history and highlights vulnerabilities in AI systems. Your chat history can also be accessed through legal requests, such as subpoenas, putting your private data at risk. Unless you actively opt out, user input is often used to train future AI models as well, and this process is not always transparent or manageable.
These risks emphasize the importance of being cautious and avoiding the disclosure of sensitive personal, financial or proprietary information when using AI tools.
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What’s not to share with chatgpt
To protect your privacy and security, it is crucial to pay attention to what you share. Here are some things you should definitely keep.
- Identity details: Social Security Number, Driver’s License Number and Other Personal Identifiers should never be disclosed
- Medical records: While you may be tempted to seek explanations for experimental results or symptoms, these explanations should be deleted before uploading
- Financial information: If shared
- Company Secrets: Proprietary data or confidential work-related information can expose trade secrets or customer data
- Login credentials: Passwords, pins and security answers should be kept in Secure Password Manager
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How to protect your privacy when using a chatbot
If you rely on AI tools but want to protect your privacy, consider these strategies.
1) Delete conversations regularly: Most platforms allow users Delete chat history. Doing so ensures that sensitive prompts do not hover on the server.
2) Use temporary chat: Features such as Chatgpt’s temporary chat mode prevent conversations from being stored or used for training purposes.
3) Opt out of the use of training data: Many AI platforms provide settings to exclude your tips from being used to improve your model. Explore these options in your account settings.
4) Anonymous input: Before sending it to an AI model, reduce the risk of storing data in a tool like Duck.AI anonymous prompt.
5) Protect your account: Enable two-factor authentication And use strong passwords to increase protection against unauthorized access. Consider using password manager Generate and store complex passwords. Remember that your account-level details, such as email addresses and locations, can be stored and used to train AI models, so making sure your account helps limit the amount of personal information that can be accessed. Get more details about me Best Expert Review Password Manager in 2025.
6) Use a VPN: Use a reputable virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt internet traffic and hide your IP address and enhance online privacy while using a chatbot. VPNs add a critical layer of anonymity, especially since the data shared with AI tools can include sensitive or identifying information, even unintentionally. A reliable VPN is essential to protect your online privacy and ensure a secure, high-speed connection. For the best VPN software, see my expert reviews for the best VPNs to browse the web privately on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
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Kurt’s key points
Chatbots like Chatgpt are undeniably powerful tools that increase productivity and creativity. However, their ability to store and process user data requires caution. By understanding what you don’t share and taking steps to protect your privacy, you can enjoy the benefits of AI while minimizing risks. Ultimately, it is up to you to strike a balance between leveraging AI’s capabilities and protecting your personal information. Remember: Just because chatbots don’t feel humans should be treated like they do. Please be aware of what you share and always give priority to your privacy.
Do you think AI companies need to do more to protect users’ sensitive information and ensure transparency in data collection and use? Let’s write to us cyberguy.com/contact.
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