Copyright Cases Should Not Threaten Chatbot Users’ Privacy | Electronic Frontier Foundation

A recent U.S. court order requires OpenAI to indefinitely retain all ChatGPT user conversations—even if users attempt to delete them—undermining global privacy norms. This sweeping directive, part of a copyright lawsuit, overrides privacy laws in 19 U.S. states, the EU, and other countries that protect individuals’ right to delete their data. With over 300 million users generating more than a billion daily messages—many containing deeply personal or sensitive content—the ruling sets a troubling precedent. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) warns this could chill legitimate uses of generative AI and calls for the order to be overturned. OpenAI is actively challenging the decision.