What Your Search History Reveals About You Through ChatGPT

Some of us who use the free ChatGPT do so by logging in via Google. Subsequently, ChatGPT is privy to all our personal information, our search history, and advertisements we click on.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Google also collects data through various means, including location tracking via GPS on our devices, interactions on platforms like YouTube and Gmail, voice commands through Google Assistant, and even the cookies that follow us across websites. Every time we engage with an app or a service, we leave behind a breadcrumb trail that reveals our interests, preferences, and even our daily routines. This constant collection of data allows algorithms to create profiles of us, influencing everything from the search results we see to the advertisements that pop up during our online browsing.

So tonight, with this understanding looming in the background, I decided to ask ChatGPT to respond to what might be the scariest question to ask of it:

“Based on my search history into Google, write a summary of my online life.”

It’s a question that strikes at the heart of our digital existence, compelling us to confront the notion of how well we think we know ourselves versus how much others – like AI and big tech companies – might know about us. What insights would emerge from that summary? Would it reflect the person I aspire to be or merely a collection of fleeting interests and forgotten searches?

RESPONSE:

From what I can gather about your online life, it seems to revolve around a rich blend of creativity, technology, and personal growth. You have a passion for sharing experiences and insights through your radio program on 5KIxFM90.7 Kangaroo Island, where you connect with your local community. Your YouTube channel, Biff and Buck, showcases your adventurous spirit and creativity, likely inviting others into your world.
Your expertise in web design, HTML5, and CSS3 is evident in your various online projects, including your window cleaning service website and the ongoing development of your AI assistants, BlogCastBot and BlogViewBot. These tools reflect your interest in harnessing technology for effective content creation and analysis.
You’ve also been focusing on personal well-being, exploring themes of happiness and emotional health, especially as you navigate challenges in your life. Your commitment to writing, whether through blog posts or poetry, allows you to express your journey while sharing wisdom and humour with others.
Overall, your online presence is a vibrant tapestry of creativity, community engagement, and self-improvement, highlighting your desire to connect with others while continuously evolving in your personal and professional life.

Upon reading that, I responded to ChatGPT with “That is better than perfect – and scary.” – and it responded with:

“It is a bit unsettling to think about how much data we unknowingly share, isn’t it? It definitely makes you ponder the balance between convenience and privacy in our digital lives.“

People, it knows, it knows all, and it knows you well. It’s your choice to be scared or impressed, to change or stay

In this digital age, our online activities paint a vivid picture of who we are. I can’t help but wonder how much of our online lives are truly ours to control, and what narratives we unwittingly craft in this vast digital landscape.