OpenAI sued for allegedly sharing user data with Google and Meta

OpenAI faces a new lawsuit in the US, that alleges that the company may have shared personal user details from ChatGPT to Google and Meta.

In Short

• OpenAI faces new lawsuit
• Lawsuit alleges OpenAI shared user data with Google, Meta
• Shared data allegedly used for targeted ads

OpenAI may have been sharing your data with Google and Meta, claims a class action lawsuit in the US. The lawsuit alleges that the AI startup shared your data from ChatGPT, including queries, personal details, and email addresses with Google and Meta, without proper consent.

The case was filed in a California federal court on Wednesday. The complaint alleges that the data was collected through tracking tools embedded on ChatGPT.com, including Meta Pixel and Google Analytics, and transmitted automatically to the two companies.

At the time of writing, OpenAI had not responded to the filing.

OpenAI accused of sharing data

The filings say many users treat AI chatbots as private spaces and share medical questions, legal dilemmas, financial details and personal problems with services such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity. As such, the lawsuit argues, people had a reasonable expectation of privacy when using an AI chatbot.

The complaint states: “Personal privacy on ChatGPT is an issue with broad implications for individuals’ control of their privacy and personal information.”

According to the filing, OpenAI embedded code was supplied by Meta and Google for analytics and advertising on the ChatGPT site.

The complaint also cites a Cyberhaven report estimating that about 1 per cent of the data employees paste into ChatGPT is confidential, and extends that concern to individuals who use chatbots for advice on health, money and legal matters.

How would this have worked?

The case centres on tracking technology used by websites for analytics and ad targeting. Meta Pixels and Google Analytics tools are pieces of code that website operators use to measure traffic and support advertising. These tools can give you recommended ads based on your data.

That is, if you look up a new TV online, and then find TV ads the next time you scroll a webpage, these tools are likely the culprits.

Keep in mind that these are allegations, and the case is yet to go to trial. If the accusations are proved correct, it would mean that your queries on ChatGPT may have been used to give you targeted ads online.

The lawsuit covers US residents who entered queries on ChatGPT.com. It alleges that the company violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (CIPA), and seeks damages as well as an end to this alleged practice.

A similar complaint was filed earlier this year against Perplexity AI over alleged use of Meta and Google trackers, though that case was later voluntarily dismissed.

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