What You Should Never Share with ChatGPT and Other AI Chatbots: A Cybersecurity Guide.
In today's digital age, AI chatbots like ChatGPT have become invaluable tools for everything from drafting emails to debugging code. However, convenience shouldn't come at the cost of your privacy and security. Understanding what information to keep private when interacting with these tools is essential for protecting yourself, your business, and others.
The Core Problem: Your Data May Not Stay Private
Here's the fundamental issue: when you interact with an AI chatbot, your input may be stored, analyzed, and potentially used for training future models. In some cases, this data could become accessible to others, whether through data breaches, company policies, or unintended leaks. Think of AI chatbots as public-facing tools rather than private assistants, and you'll make more intelligent decisions about what to share.
Eight Categories of Information You Should Never Share
1. Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Your personal identifiers are the keys to your identity. Never share your full name, home address, phone number, date of birth, email address, Social Security number, passport details, driver's license information, or similar data. These details can be used for identity theft and should be treated with the utmost care.
2. Financial Details
Financial information is particularly sensitive. Keep credit card numbers, bank account details, account passwords, tax information, and financial statements completely offline when it comes to AI chatbots. Even asking hypothetical questions that include real financial data puts you at risk.
3. Account Credentials
This should go without saying, but it bears repeating: never input usernames, passwords, PINs, or answers to security questions into an AI chatbot, even if you think you're troubleshooting an issue or seeking technical help. Legitimate services will never ask for this information through a chatbot interface.
4. Health and Medical Information
AI chatbots are not HIPAA-compliant, meaning they don't meet the strict privacy standards required for handling medical data. Avoid sharing medical records, prescription details, diagnoses, symptoms tied to your identity, or any other health-related information. If you need medical advice, consult qualified healthcare professionals through secure, compliant channels.
5. Company or Proprietary Data
If you work with confidential business information, keep it that way. Confidential business documents, customer data, proprietary source code, trade secrets, and internal communications should never be entered into an AI chatbot. Many organizations have specific policies prohibiting this behavior, and violating them can have serious professional consequences.
6. Details of Illegal or Unethical Activity
Beyond the obvious moral and legal concerns, discussing illegal or unethical activities with an AI chatbot creates a digital record that may be logged, monitored, and potentially reported to authorities. This information could have significant legal implications in the future.
7. Data About Others
Just because it's not your information doesn't mean it's safe to share. Don't input personal details about friends, colleagues, family members, or third parties without their explicit consent. Respecting others' privacy is both an ethical and a legal requirement in many jurisdictions.
8. Creative and Intellectual Property
If you've created something original, whether it's a novel idea, creative work, invention, or proprietary methodology, be cautious about sharing it with AI chatbots. There's a risk of unauthorized reuse, disclosure, or complications with future copyright and patent claims.
Essential Safety Practices for AI Chatbot Use
Beyond knowing what not to share, adopting innovative safety practices can further protect your information:
Review and redact before sending. Get in the habit of carefully reading your prompts before submission. Remove or anonymize any sensitive details that might have slipped in.
Manage your chat history. When available, turn off chat history features and regularly delete old conversations. Less data stored means less data at risk.
Use secure networks. Avoid using AI chatbots while connected to public WiFi. Instead, use private, secure networks or a VPN to add an extra layer of protection.
Follow organizational policies. If you're using AI tools for work, always consult and comply with your organization's security and data protection policies. These guidelines exist for good reason.
Maintain healthy skepticism. Don't rely solely on chatbot responses for critical personal, financial, or medical decisions. These tools can be helpful, but they're not infallible and may not be personalized to your specific situation.
Here’s The Bottom Line…
AI chatbots are potent tools that can enhance productivity and creativity, but they're not private confidants. By treating them as public-facing platforms and being mindful of what you share, you can harness their benefits while protecting your sensitive information from potential breaches, identity theft, and unauthorized access.
Remember: when in doubt, leave it out. Your privacy and security are worth the extra moment of caution.