Italy has reversed its decision to ban ChatGPT over privacy concerns, less than a month after imposing the ban. OpenAI, the company behind the chatbot, took steps to address the Italian government’s concerns and ensure compliance with Italian privacy laws.
ChatGPT is now available again to Italian users, and an OpenAI spokesperson has stated that the company remains dedicated to protecting their privacy. Italy initially imposed the ban due to reports that ChatGPT was collecting and storing user data without their consent.
Other countries, including Canada, Germany, Sweden, and France, also opened investigations into the platform. However, the Italian data protection watchdog agency Garante offered OpenAI a chance to reintroduce ChatGPT to the country by demanding the implementation of age restrictions, data management options, and an opt-out form for users.
OpenAI responded to these demands by introducing new features such as the ability for users to turn off their chat history and opt-out of allowing the company to use their data in training models.
The company also made its privacy policy more visible and introduced an age verification tool for Italian users during signup. OpenAI has pledged to continue improving its security measures to protect user data and deal with AI hallucinations.
