Italy to Halt ChatGPT Services Amid Data Protection Concerns

Italians may soon lose access to ChatGPT as Italy's Privacy Guarantor has ordered its suspension due to concerns over OpenAI's compliance with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The regulator argues that OpenAI lacks a "legal basis" for its extensive data collection practices used to train ChatGPT. Additionally, reports of inaccurate results suggest the AI may be mishandling user data.

Authorities are particularly alarmed by a recent incident involving the leak of sensitive user information. Furthermore, the Guarantor has raised concerns regarding child safety, noting that while ChatGPT is intended for users over 13, there are no safeguards in place to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content.

OpenAI has been given 20 days to address these issues or face penalties of up to €20 million (approximately $21.8 million) or a maximum of four percent of its global revenue. OpenAI's privacy policy indicates that conversation data may be used to improve its AI, though it asserts that this data is aggregated and anonymized. The company maintains that it does not intentionally collect personal information from users under 13.

This action by Italy follows a complaint from a nonprofit research organization to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), advocating for a halt on future ChatGPT releases until OpenAI adheres to guidelines related to transparency and user fairness. Additionally, industry experts have called for a six-month pause in AI development to tackle ethical concerns. The lack of sufficient oversight on OpenAI's platforms could potentially lead to broader restrictions at the national level.