OpenAI has disabled a feature in ChatGPT that previously allowed shared conversations to be discoverable via Google Search, following mounting privacy concerns. This option, accessible via a toggle during chat sharing, has now been removed permanently, and the company is working with search engines to remove already indexed links.

What Happened?

Earlier this year, OpenAI introduced an experimental discoverability toggle—a setting that let users allow search engines to index shared chats. Though the feature required explicit opt-in, it led to thousands of shared conversations becoming visible on Google, many containing sensitive data, including:

  • Personal names and emails

  • Emotional disclosures

  • Job application details

  • Confidential work discussions

Feature Now Removed

OpenAI confirmed:

“We think this feature introduced too many opportunities for folks to accidentally share things they didn’t intend to, so we’re removing the option.”

  • The toggle is no longer available.

  • Indexing of new links is halted.

  • Existing links may still appear temporarily due to caching.

  • Deleting a chat from history does not remove its public shared link.

 Privacy Reminder

This incident highlights how AI chats can unintentionally become public. Even with opt-in systems, users may misunderstand the risks of sharing.

Best Practices Moving Forward:

  • Think twice before sharing AI-generated content publicly.

  • Avoid inputting sensitive or identifiable information.

  • Review your Shared Links Dashboard if you’ve shared conversations.

 What’s Next?

OpenAI says it’s:

  • Collaborating with search engines to fully de-index shared chats.

  • Reassessing how public sharing works in ChatGPT going forward.

This marks a significant shift in how OpenAI balances information utility vs. user privacy.