• Source:JND
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OPENAI, a popular San Francisco-based technology startup backed by Microsoft, has now officially restored the ChatGPT chatbot services in Italy, weeks after they were temporarily suspended due to data privacy concerns. In a press release, the Italian DPA (Data Protection Authority) stated that the platform should stop processing data from Italian users because it has already experienced a data breach involving user conversations and payment information.

OpenAI Restored ChatGPT Services In Italy: Here’s How

Following a regional data protection authority directive on user data concerns, The Verge reports that Microsoft-backed OpenAI ‘addressed or clarified’ the issues raised by the Italian Data Protection Authority (or GPDP) in late March.

"Our users in Italy can now use ChatGPT again. We are delighted to welcome them back, and we remain committed to safeguarding their privacy," the company said in a statement.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of Europe allows EU users to submit a new form to request the removal of personal data. In Italy, a new tool will also check users' ages at signup.

OpenAI’s Reaction On The Temporary Ban:

Access to ChatGPT, a popular AI chatbot, was earlier this month restricted in Italy by OpenAI. "We regret to inform you that we have disabled ChatGPT for users in Italy at the request of the Italian Garante," OpenAI had written in a letter.

Why ChatGPT Face A Temporary Ban In Italy:

The maker of ChatGPT is allegedly breaking the EU GDPR, according to the Italian regulator Garante, which asserted that OpenAI improperly processed the data of Italian citizens. "ChatGPT cannot continue to process data in violation of privacy laws in any way,” it said. The US-based company OpenAI, which created and maintains the platform, has been temporarily and immediately restricted from processing data belonging to Italian users by the Italian SA. Additionally, a probe into the case's facts was started, the regulator noted.

READ: ChatGPT Blocked In Italy Over Data Privacy Concerns; Details Inside

Additionally, the business announced that it would reimburse every Italian user who had purchased a ChatGPT Plus subscription in March. Late last month, OpenAI acknowledged that taking ChatGPT offline due to a bug may have exposed some users' payment information. Due to a flaw in an open-source library that allowed some users to view titles from the chat history of another active user, the company took ChatGPT offline, according to OpenAI.