ChatGPT & Privacy - some thoughts
I’m suppose to be writing on Data Clean Rooms but after a few requests from you, and considering it’s being talked about A LOT, I’ve decided to send out a brief letter about ChatGPT instead. Who knows, maybe I’ll send out the Clean Room one next week as a bonus.
Hi,
I’m in Korea, on vacation. Let me tell you, it’s CCTV central - you can’t do anything without being watched.
It's making me uncomfortable.
It's also making me appreciate that it's not the case where I am.
But they do warn you, everywhere, so at least you're in the know.
But to the point: my thoughts on ChatGPT.
What’s the deal with ChatGPT - other than being the new shiny toy everyone wants to play with?
Personally, I think the leaps forward in AI are amazing.
Yes, even ChatGPT.
There are so many ways that it can help us without causing any harm nor misrepresenting anything.
ChatGPT can help people with dyslexia write professional emails.
AI can help diagnose rare diseases.
And, of course, it can always help generate user personas off of a data set you feed it - or pull any insights out of any dataset you have providing none of that data includes personal data.
And that’s the thing.
No personal data!
We are so excited about ChatGPT, and the possibilities of AI in general, that we are going all in. We feed it meeting minutes that contain top secrete data, import data sets that include personal data to help us gather insights, and supply it with our company financials to generate quick reports.
I want to say STOP it all.
But that’s not really an option if we want to keep growing.
Where do we draw the line?
What can, can’t, and shouldn’t we do?
How can we allow for innovation and still respect the right to privacy?
I don’t have the answers.
I do know that there is a clear line and we are overstepping it.
We are sooooooooo excited that we have forgotten to think clearly about what we are doing, what the consequences are.
When it comes to using ChatGPT to help us in marketing the possibilities are endless but how does that impact our users and customers personal data - how do we approach using ChatGPT (or anything similar) while still respecting privacy?
When feeding ChatGPT data we need a purpose for the processing of the data. We need a legal basis such as consent, legitimate interest, performance of a contract, etc.
We also need to be transparent about it.
AND we need to be able to respect our users rights when it comes to their data (think „delete all my data“, „what data do you hold of mine“, etc.)
So what do we do when we upload user surveys into ChatGPT to help us generate customer personas?
If there is no personal data involve then great, you’re in the clear.
(Remember, personal data is a big, all encompassing, term. It’s any data that relates to an identified or identifiable person. The more data points you have the more likely they are, in combination, to be personal data.)
So what if you do want to upload personal data into ChatGPT?
In short, don’t.
Still want to…then think about the following:
What is your purpose behind processing the data with ChatGPT?
What is your legal basis?
Do you have the users consent?
Are you being open and transparent with your users that you are using ChatGPT to help you?
How will you handle the situation if the user wants their data deleted?
How can you get their personal data deleted from ChatGPT?
These are the questions you need to ask yourself as you get excited over the possibilities of how marketing will benefit from AI.
There are plenty of ways we can use it to help us, and I hope that we will use it to be better and more efficient marketers.
I’m also asking that you think about what should and should not be done.
So as you explore all your opportunities also explore what needs to be put in place for you and your team to act responsibly and not but any personal data at risk.
Interesting reads:
Want to object to Facebooks new use of legitimate interest for targeted advertising? Check out noyb's breakdown on what's going on and their opt out tool.
ChatGPT Has a Big Privacy Problem
No closing thoughts today - the whole email was a thought (and I'm on vacation).
I'll be back full power with the next email - a data clean room deep dive.
Siobhan