OpenAI’s ChatGPT has officially returned to Italy after addressing the data protection authority’s concerns ahead of the April 30, 2023 deadline. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed excitement over ChatGPT’s availability in Italy again.
Complying with data protection laws
The popular AI chatbot service was temporarily blocked by Garante, Italy’s data protection authority, on March 31, 2023, due to concerns over potential violations of regional data protection laws. Generative AI systems like ChatGPT and Google Bard rely on massive amounts of online data and user-provided information during interactions.
In response, OpenAI published a new FAQ, stating that it filters and removes information such as hate speech, adult content, and spam. The company emphasized that it does not actively seek personal information for model training, nor does it use personal information to build profiles, contact individuals, advertise, or sell information.
However, OpenAI acknowledged that ChatGPT responses might include personal information about public figures or individuals whose details are publicly accessible.
Addressing European users’ rights
European users can object to the processing of their personal information by filling out an online form, and they can exercise their rights to correct, restrict, delete, or transfer their personal information within OpenAI’s training dataset.
Garante announced that OpenAI agreed to verify users’ ages in Italy to ensure they are above 18 or have parental consent if aged between 13 and 18 before accessing ChatGPT. OpenAI is expected to implement a more robust age verification system to prevent minors from accessing the service.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) task force will continue its fact-finding activities regarding OpenAI. This development follows OpenAI’s introduction of a new privacy setting that allows users to disable chat history and an export option for accessing stored information within ChatGPT.
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