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ALT Before the order was in place mid-May, OpenAI only retained "chat history" for users of ChatGPT Free, Plus, and Pro who did not opt out of data retention. But now, OpenAI has been forced to preserve chat history even when users "elect to not retain particular conversations by manually deleting specific conversations or by starting a 'Temporary Chat,' which disappears once closed," OpenAI said. Previously, users could also request to "delete their OpenAI accounts entirely, including all prior conversation history," which was then purged within 30 days. While OpenAI rejects claims that ordinary users use ChatGPT to access news articles, the company noted that including OpenAI's business customers in the order made "even less sense," since API conversation data "is subject to standard retention policies." That means API customers couldn’t delete all their searches based on their customers' activity, which is the supposed basis for requiring OpenAI to retain sensitive data.

ALT Screenshot of OpenAI's website describing what happens when you delete a chat? The chat is immediately removed from your chat history view. It is scheduled for permanent deletion from OpenAI's systems within 30 days, unless: It has already been de-identified and disassociated from your account, or OpenAI must retain it for security or legal obligations. You cannot recover a chat once it’s deleted. Deleted chats are not retrievable through the UI, APIs, or support.