OpenAI’s recent release of the ChatGPT app for macOS has been met with concerns regarding the storage of chats in plain text, raising privacy issues for users. Unlike iOS, where all third-party apps run under a sandbox for added security, the macOS version of the ChatGPT app does not utilize this protective measure.
The lack of sandboxing means that all conversations within the app are stored in plain text, easily accessible to anyone with access to the user’s Mac. Developer Pedro Vieito noted that conversations are saved outside the sandbox and can be accessed by other apps, processes, or even malware without the user’s knowledge.
This oversight raises significant privacy implications, as conversations stored in plain text can be vulnerable to data breaches and unauthorized access. While OpenAI’s privacy policies state that conversations are collected to enhance the language model, the risk of sensitive data falling into the wrong hands remains a concern.
To protect user privacy, it is recommended to only download apps from trusted sources like the Mac App Store or verify that apps downloaded from external sources are sandboxed. Despite the absence of a response from OpenAI on these concerns, users are advised to exercise caution when sharing sensitive information through the ChatGPT app on macOS.
