Italian Privacy Watchdog Temporarily Blocks ChatGPT Due to Data Breach

(Image: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic)

The Italian Data Protection Authority has announced that it is temporarily blocking the use of ChatGPT, an AI-powered chatbot developed by OpenAI, in Italy following a data breach. The privacy watchdog has described the action as provisional "until ChatGPT respects privacy," and will involve temporarily limiting the company from holding Italian users' data. OpenAI has not yet commented on the situation. While some schools and universities have blocked ChatGPT's website from their local networks over concerns of student plagiarism, it is unclear how Italy plans to block it at a nationwide level. However, the move is unlikely to impact applications from companies that already have licenses with OpenAI, such as Microsoft's Bing search engine.

The Italian watchdog has instructed OpenAI to report back to them within 20 days on the measures it has taken to ensure the privacy of users' data or face a fine of up to 20 million euros (nearly $22 million) or 4% of annual global revenue. On March 20, ChatGPT faced a data breach that led to the loss of data on the conversations of users and information related to the payment of subscribers for the service. OpenAI had taken the chatbot offline to fix a bug that allowed some people to see the titles of other users' chat history, and had contacted those who might be impacted by the breach.

Italy's privacy watchdog expressed disappointment in the lack of a notice to users and all those involved whose data is gathered by OpenAI, as well as the absence of a juridical basis that justifies the massive gathering and keeping of personal data for the purpose of training algorithms underlying the functioning of the platform. The agency also noted the absence of any kind of filter to verify the age of users, which exposes minors to unsuitable answers. A group of scientists and tech industry leaders have called for companies such as OpenAI to pause the development of more powerful AI models until the fall to give time for society to weigh the risks. OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, plans to embark on a six-continent trip in May to talk about the technology with users and developers, including stops in Europe where lawmakers have been negotiating sweeping new rules to limit high-risk AI tools.