Effective immediately, the discussions you have with ChatGPT will not be indexed or made searchable on platforms like Google and others due to a recent change by OpenAI. Previously, users had the option to make their chats discoverable, but this feature has now been discontinued.
As an analyst, I’ve noticed that the function we’ve implemented necessitates users to tick a box labeled “Make this chat discoverable.” It seems that some users might not have fully grasped the potential consequences of this choice, or perhaps they may have selected it unintentionally.
As per a Fast Company report, approximately 4,500 dialogues involving ChatGPT were found in Google search outcomes. These interactions encompassed private matters like discussions on mental health issues, interpersonal relationships, and other delicate subjects.
When someone utilized the share function within ChatGPT, the specific characteristic they were interested in became visible. By making use of this option, they generated a shareable link that could easily be passed on to their friends, relatives, or work associates.
Inside the share window, a feature to make the chat visible in search engines became available as well. The message explained that activating this option would allow chats to appear in online search results.
Some people may have gotten used to checking boxes without reading the accompanying text.
Following Fast Company’s report, OpenAI removed the option to make chats discoverable.
OpenAI’s Chief Information Security Officer, Dane Stuckey, mentioned that they recently eliminated a feature from ChatGPT which made users’ chats searchable by engines like Google. This was an attempt, albeit brief, to aid people in finding beneficial conversations.
As an enthusiast, I had to actively choose to enable this specific feature. The process involved selecting a conversation initially and then granting permission by checking a box to allow the selected chat to become visible to search engines (as depicted below).
Stuckey went on to say that the feature introduced opportunities to enable it accidentally.
ChatGPT is currently working on a project to have certain information it generates removed from search engine results, but this process may take some time to complete fully.
How long were ChatGPT conversations discoverable?
In a recent discussion on X, it was stated that the removal of the discoverability feature was an “experiment that didn’t last long.” User @ns123abc inquired about the information provided on OpenAI’s site to better understand its context.
It seems that at some point, the website mentioned that “links shared on it are intentionally hidden from appearing in publicly accessible search results on the web.
1. “To share a conversation, you can copy and paste the link provided at the top of your chat window.”
2. “If you’re looking to share a specific message or code snippet within a conversation, you can highlight it and click ‘Copy Link.’ This will create a unique link that directs others to that particular part of the conversation.”
3. “Please note that shared links are only active for 7 days from the time they were generated. After this period, the link will expire and become invalid.”
The version from April 26, 2025 states:
“Should we expect shared links to show up in public search results on the Internet?
Shared links aren’t meant to appear in general web searches. Instead, they are created specifically for private sharing among people. These links don’t get picked up by search engines because they’re not indexed. But, if someone has the link, they can access and view the shared material directly.
The version from April 28, 2025 differs in relation to search engines (emphasis added):
Shared links do not automatically appear in search results on the web. Instead, you can choose to make the link accessible to search engines when you share it. Keep in mind that whoever has the link can access and view the shared content.
On the current OpenAI help page, there’s a mention of the ability to index chats. Since a change is being implemented that affects this feature, the page likely needs to be revised to accurately represent the new status.
How do I delete ChatGPT shared links?
As a researcher delving into this fascinating digital realm, I’ve discovered an easy method for removing shared links from ChatGPT with just a handful of clicks. However, it’s crucial to understand that this action doesn’t immediately erase the conversations from Google or other search engines. The internet has a remarkable memory!
Here’s how to delete saved shared links in ChatGPT:
- Navigate to https://chat.openai.com/chat through your browser.
- Click your name in the lower-left-hand corner of the page.
- Click “Settings.”
- Click “Data controls.”
- Click the “Manage” button that appears next to “Shared links.”
You’ll then see the tools needed to delete any shared links.
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2025-08-04 17:21