tech
Some ChatGPT users speculate that if Voice Mode is enabled, the ChatGPT app is capable of eavesdropping on conversations.
By Sukhbir Cheema — 06 Jun 2024, 03:48 PM
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Cover image via Shantanu Kumar (Pexels) & Solen Feyissa (Pexels)
OpenAI has quietly rolled out a new feature called 'Background Conversations' that some users speculate might enable the ChatGPT smartphone app to listen in on your conversations
ChatGPT Voice, a feature that has been available since September 2023, was recently rolled out through GPT-4o to all users.
The latest update emphasised a focus on voice capabilities specifically for the ChatGPT smartphone app on both Android and iOS devices.
However, the latest update has raised concerns about privacy issues. Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson's recent allegations that OpenAI used her voice for Sky — one of ChatGPT Voice options — without her consent, has left many privacy-minded users anxious.
The rollout of the new 'Background Conversations' feature without much publicity adds complexity to the issue.
Some ChatGPT users on Reddit speculated that if Voice Mode is enabled, the ChatGPT app is capable of eavesdropping on their conversations
They even went as far as assuming that the app is capable of tracking their smartphone behaviour when they use other apps.
This is mainly due to the description of the feature itself, which reads, "Background conversations keep the conversation going in other apps or when your screen is off."
Reddit users who spotted the new 'Background Conversations' feature in OpenAI's latest update for the ChatGPT app recommended turning off Voice Mode to prevent the app from continuing to run in the background.
Here's how you can turn off the 'Background Conversations' feature on the ChatGPT smartphone app on both Android and iOS
STEP 1: Open the ChatGPT smartphone app and tap on the menu (top right). You may need to log in first.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema (SAYS)
STEP 2: Tap on your user profile (bottom left).
Image via Sukhbir Cheema (SAYS)
STEP 3: Under Voice, toggle 'Background Conversations' off.
Image via Sukhbir Cheema (SAYS)
To be fair, we noticed that the 'Background Conversations' feature was automatically turned off for us
To access the feature, you need to ensure that the ChatGPT app is updated to the latest version 1.2024.151.
After updating our ChatGPT app, we were able to view the 'Background Conversations' feature. We had the option to turn it on since it was automatically turned off for us.
However, it's unclear if turning off the feature would still prevent the ChatGPT app from listening in the background.
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