The Italian Data Protection Authority has imposed a fine of 15 million euros to OpenAI. It is about the first economic sanction that the company led by Sam Altman receives in the European Union (EU), a region that is playing a leading role in privacy regulation.
We are facing a measure that has been adopted as a result of an investigation into the use of data linked to ChatGPT, which began in March 2023 and has recently concluded. Garante, which is how the aforementioned Italian organization is known, has pointed out several violations.
Millionaire fine from Italy on OpenAI
According to a statement published this Friday, OpenAI used users’ personal data to train ChatGPT without having them in the first place. an adequate legal basis. This, they explain, violated the principle of transparency and the information obligations of the people who used the famous chatbot.
On the other hand, Garante points out that the American firm did not inform it of a data breach that occurred in March 2023, nor did it provide mechanisms for age verification in ChatGPT, which resulted in risks for children under 13 years of age who could receive inappropriate responses.
It is important to highlight that the Italian organization goes beyond the economic sanction. It says that to “guarantee effective transparency in the processing of personal data” it has ordered OpenAI to carry out a communication campaign six months long on radio, television, newspapers and the Internet.
The move announced today comes some time after OpenAI was forced to suspend access to ChatGPT in Italy earlier this year. Garante ordered the block amid concerns of infringement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The veto, however, was lifted after a month.
OpenAI made a series of changes to the service to respond to the Italian body’s requests, which allowed it to offer the chatbot again. The changes included more information about data processing and a measure to prevent minors under 13 years of age from using the service without their parents’ consent.
The sanction, it should be noted, has not been well received by OpenAI. According to Reuters, the AI firm will appeal the decision. He says that it is a “disproportionate” fine and is almost twenty times greater than the income they obtained in Italy. We have to wait to find out how this story between technology and the European country will continue.
Images | OpenAI | Ayush Agarwal
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