ChatGPT No Longer Banned In Italy After Privacy-Related Updates
OpenAI has announced that its popular chatbot, ChatGPT, is now available to users in Italy after the Italian Data Protection Authority asked for the company to stop collecting user data, claiming ChatGPT could potentially violate Europe's GDPR privacy law. OpenAI has made changes to its website, including clearer explanations of data collection and storage, and how European users can delete their personal information from the AI-powered chatbot program. The company confirmed that it has addressed all the concerns related to privacy raised by Italy’s privacy regulator, and it remains dedicated to protecting their privacy.
Improving Transparency
The changes made by OpenAI aim to provide greater transparency regarding how they use user data. The company now offers new help center articles that explain how it relies on user inputs to improve ChatGPT's AI model. OpenAI also clarified that it does not use data for selling services, advertising, or building profiles of people. The help article links to a form where users can object to the processing of their personal information by ChatGPT or request the deletion of their personal information from the AI models.
Opting Out
OpenAI has also included greater visibility to a form that allows users to opt-out of future data collection. In addition to that, the company added a pop-up on the ChatGPT homepage outlining its privacy policies, featuring a button asking users to confirm that they meet the age or parental requirements to access the AI program. Users based in California can also request the deletion of their personal information under the state’s data protection law.
Regulatory Scrutiny
Despite the changes made by OpenAI, various regulators in the European Union have expressed concerns about potentially regulating ChatGPT, worrying that it could spread misinformation, infringe on user privacy, and be exploited for cybercrime. Meanwhile, OpenAI continues its efforts to improve the transparency of its data collection and storage practices around the world.
