Private ChatGPT discussions, inadvertently exposed to the public through Google search results, prompted OpenAI to discontinue the new feature.
OpenAI Disables Search Discoverability Feature for ChatGPT Conversations
In a move to prioritise user privacy, OpenAI has announced the removal of a feature that allowed users to make their shared ChatGPT conversations discoverable on search engines like Google.
The feature, introduced earlier in 2025, enabled users to share conversation links and optionally make them appear in web searches. However, it was found that many private chats inadvertently became searchable, exposing sensitive information despite users needing to actively consent by checking a box labeled "Make this chat discoverable" when sharing.
The removal of the feature was prompted by reports and public outcry after thousands of shared ChatGPT conversations, some containing personally identifiable information, were found indexed by Google. OpenAI acknowledged the feature as a "short-lived experiment" and decided it posed too many risks of accidental oversharing.
The company has disabled the toggle for search engine discoverability and is working to remove already indexed content from search engines. This rollback affects conversations that had been shared with the search visibility option, ensuring future shared chats will no longer appear in search results unless explicitly made public elsewhere.
The decision to remove the feature follows concerns about unintentional privacy breaches. OpenAI's Chief Information Security Officer, Dane Stuckey, announced the change on Thursday, stating that the feature provided too many opportunities for users to accidentally share things they didn't want to, leading to its removal.
The feature was designed to help users discover useful conversations, but it seems it came at the cost of user privacy. Jarovsky, a user who posted examples of personal conversations on a website, highlighted concerns from users about unintentionally sharing embarrassing or private information.
OpenAI representatives did not respond to requests from the US website regarding this matter.
This move by OpenAI reaffirms their commitment to security and privacy, ensuring that users can continue to engage with ChatGPT without the risk of their private conversations being inadvertently exposed through web searches. The change is set to roll out for all users by tomorrow morning.
[1] OpenAI Removes ChatGPT Search Discoverability Feature Due to Privacy Concerns [2] Thousands of Sensitive ChatGPT Conversations Found Indexed by Google [3] OpenAI Acknowledges ChatGPT Search Discoverability Feature as "Short-Lived Experiment" [4] OpenAI Focuses on Security and Privacy, Removes ChatGPT Search Discoverability Feature
- The "data-and-cloud-computing" technology used in ChatGPT was found to pose risks to user privacy, as a "short-lived experiment" for making conversations searchable on general-news websites like Google inadvertently exposed sensitive information.
- As a result of concerns about unintentional privacy breaches, OpenAI, in the realm of crime-and-justice, has taken steps to address these issues by removing the feature and disabling the toggle for search engine discoverability, reaffirming their commitment to security and privacy.
