OpenAI Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over Claims ChatGPT Secretly Shares Sensitive User IDs And Data With Meta and Google

The company that owns and operates ChatGPT OpenAI has been hit with yet another lawsuit in California.

The lawsuit filed in the Southern District of California alleges that OpenAI collected information from users of ChatGPT and sold that information to Meta and Google.

This is yet another lawsuit against OpenAI with a different lawsuit filed earlier this week alleging that ChatGPT enabled the Florida State University (FSU) shooter.

Yet Another Lawsuit for OpenAI

According to the Lawsuit: 'Plaintiff brings this action on behalf of themself and other similarly situated individuals defined as all persons who, during the class period, had their personally identifiable information and communications with ChatGPT disclosed to third party entities, as a result of using the Website.'

'Defendant intercepted communications that include, but are not necessarily limited to, communications to/from Plaintiff and Class Members regarding PII, including their identities and information related to the specific queries they entered into ChatGPT. This confidential information is then monetized for targeted advertising purposes, among other things,' the lawsuit continued.

'By intentionally disclosing or endeavoring to disclose Plaintiff's and Class Members' electronic communications to the Third Parties, while knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through the interception of an electronic communication in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2511(1)(a), Defendant violated 18 U.S.C. § 2511(1)(c).'

What Statutes Did OpenAi Violate?

According to the lawsuit OpenAI violated four federal and state laws and statutes.

Count one is 'Violation of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2511, et seq.'

Counts two and three are 'Violations of the California Invasion of Privacy Act Cal. Penal Code § 631and 632.'

The purpose of the The California Invasion of Privacy Act is to protect the right of privacy of the people of [California] from the threat posed by 'advances in science and technology [that] have led to the development of new devices and techniques for the purpose of eavesdropping upon private communications.'

Count four is 'Invasion of Privacy Under California's Constitution/Intrusion Upon Seclusion.'

ChatGPT Allegedly Enabled FSU Shooter

'OpenAI knew this would happen. It's happened before and it was only a matter of time before it happened again,' Vandana Joshi, the widow of Tiru Chabba who killed in the shooting said in a statement on Monday. 'But they chose to put their profits over our safety and it killed my husband. They need to be responsible before another family has to go through this.'

According to the complaint, the shooter Ikner, then a student at FSU, shared with ChatGPT images of firearms he had acquired. The chatbot then allegedly explained how to use them, telling him the Glock had no safety, that it was meant to be fired 'quick to use under stress' and advising him to keep his finger off the trigger until he was ready to shoot, according to NBC News.

At one point, the lawsuit alleges, ChatGPT said that it's much more likely for a shooting to gain national attention if children are involved, even 2-3 victims can draw more attention. Later, on the day of the shooting, the lawsuit says, Ikner asked about what the legal process, sentencing, and incarceration outlook would be, according to NBC News.