New Delhi: OpenAI is facing a class action lawsuit in the United States over allegations that it shared user data from ChatGPT with Google and Meta without proper consent, according to reports.
The case was filed in a California federal court and alleges that ChatGPT user inputs, including queries, email addresses and personal details, may have been transmitted through tracking tools embedded on ChatGPT.com.
According to the complaint, tools such as Meta Pixel and Google Analytics were used on the platform and could have enabled automated data transfer to third parties. The filing argues that this raises concerns over user privacy, particularly as many people treat AI chatbots as private spaces for sensitive discussions, including health, financial and legal queries.
The lawsuit claims users had a reasonable expectation of confidentiality while interacting with AI systems such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity. It further argues that this expectation may have been undermined by the presence of analytics and advertising-related code on the website.
The complaint also states that OpenAI allegedly used embedded code linked to Google and Meta for analytics and advertising purposes, resulting in the collection and processing of user data.
It further claims that such tracking mechanisms could enable targeted advertising, where user behaviour online influences the ads they see across other platforms.
According to reports, the lawsuit alleges violations of US privacy laws, including the California Invasion of Privacy Act and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and seeks damages along with an order to stop the alleged practice.
A similar case was earlier filed against Perplexity AI over alleged use of Meta and Google tracking tools, though it was later withdrawn.