Chatbot ChatGPT Is Reactivated In Italy After OpenAI Responds To Privacy Issues

ChatGPT, reactivated in Italy. (photo: dock. pexels)

JAKARTA - ChatGPT, an OpenAI chatbot backed by Microsoft, is reactivated in Italy after the company responded to a problem disclosed by Italy's data protection authorities. This was confirmed by both parties on Friday, April 28.

Last month, Italy's data protection authority, also known as Garante, temporarily banned the use of ChatGPT in Italy and conducted an investigation into this artificial intelligence application allegedly violating privacy rules.

Garante gave OpenAI a deadline until Sunday 30 April to resolve the issues disclosed so that chatbots can be reactivated in Italy.

Garante stated that the ChatGPT does not have "a legal basis that justifies the massive collection and storage of personal data" for "coaching" the chatbot. In addition, Garante also accused OpenAI of failing to check the age of ChatGPT users who were supposed to be 13 years old or older, but OpenAI had offered tools to verify the age of users in Italy when registering.

OpenAI announced last Friday that it will provide greater clarity on their privacy policy and will provide a new user's content opt-out form. They will also provide a new form for EU users to reject the use of their personal data in training their models.

Garante stated that they acknowledged the steps taken by OpenAI to combine technological advances with respect for people's rights, and hoped the company would continue to comply with European data protection regulations.

Italy was the first country in Western Europe to limit the use of ChatGPT, but its rapid development has caught the attention of legislators and regulators in several countries.

On Thursday, a committee of EU lawmakers was reported by Reuters, agreeing to make new rules that would force companies that use AI-generative tools, such as ChatGPT, to disclose all copyright-protected material used to develop their systems.

After Garante's interest in ChatGPT, the European Data Protection Board, the agency that brings together the national privacy watchdog in Europe, formed a special task force on the chatbot this month.

Garante stated that they will continue to investigate ChatGPT and will work with the special task force.