Many people now turn to ChatGPT for personal help. They talk about breakups, anxiety, daily stress, and choices they’re unsure about. Young users in particular are using it in place of a human therapist. What they may not realize is that these conversations don’t have legal protection.
When someone visits a doctor, lawyer, or mental health professional, those conversations stay private under long-standing confidentiality laws. But ChatGPT doesn’t fall under the same rules. If someone shares sensitive thoughts with the chatbot and a lawsuit follows, those logs might end up in court, i.e., according to Sam Altman.
User Chats Aren’t Always Deleted Immediately
OpenAI’s policy says most free and paid users’ chats are removed from the system within 30 days. But there are exceptions. If a legal or security issue comes up, the company can hold on to that data for longer. In practical terms, that means deleted chats might not actually be gone.
The situation became more complex after several news companies filed a copyright lawsuit. As part of the case, they asked a federal court to stop OpenAI from wiping any user logs. That included records already deleted. The company is now challenging that order, but it highlights how chat data could be pulled into legal disputes.
Unlike Encrypted Apps, Chat Logs Are Accessible
When people send messages through end-to-end encrypted apps like Signal or WhatsApp, the company running the app can’t access what was written. That’s not how ChatGPT works. At OpenAI, staff can review messages. The company uses those logs to improve the tool and look for misuse.
That access gives the system flexibility, but it also means private chats aren’t sealed off from scrutiny. Someone seeking advice might think the conversation stays between them and the AI, but legally that’s not guaranteed.
Privacy Rules Haven’t Kept Pace
Chat-based AI is still a new tool, and the laws haven’t caught up. There are no clear protections in place for people who rely on it for emotional or mental health advice. This legal gap affects anyone using the tool for personal reasons, especially those who assume it’s private by default.
The way people use ChatGPT is evolving quickly, and so are the risks. Until privacy laws address how these tools fit into daily life, users may be more exposed than they think.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
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• Inside ChatGPT: 11 Lesser-Known Facts That Shape the World’s Most Talked-About AI ChatBot