Ep49: ChatGPT Ads: Your Prompts, Your Email, and the Switch That Doesn't Stop Ads cover art

Ep49: ChatGPT Ads: Your Prompts, Your Email, and the Switch That Doesn't Stop Ads

Ep49: ChatGPT Ads: Your Prompts, Your Email, and the Switch That Doesn't Stop Ads

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Episode Summary:ChatGPT now shows ads on its Free and Go plans. In this episode Marc walks through what 404 Media found when it ran its own test ads: advertisers can upload lists of emails, phone numbers, or Android advertising IDs, and your current chat shapes which ad appears. Turning off ads personalization changes how ads are picked, but it does not stop them. Marc covers what each setting does and five steps you can take today.Key Topics Covered:404 Media's test ads: how Joseph Cox used OpenAI context hints to steer ads toward privacy and AI chatsCustom audiences: email, phone, hashed identifiers, and Google Advertising IDs, plus include, exclude, and bid-adjustment bucketsThe two switches: Personalize ads vs Ads-Free mode, and why one does not equal the otherWhat OpenAI commits to: advertisers do not get your chats; Temporary Chats show no ads; health and politics limitsFive actions: check your plan, Data Controls, delete ads data, Temporary Chat, and shrink the lists you are onMain Takeaways:Free and Go show ads. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu do not.Context hints are guidance, not keyword triggers, but your prompt still decides whether an ad fits.Advertisers can match uploaded emails, phone numbers, or Android advertising IDs to ChatGPT users (inclusion and bid bumps need at least 25,000 matched users).Turning off ads personalization still leaves context-based ads on. Ads-Free (Free plan only) or a paid plan is what removes ads.Your personalization setting does not take you off an advertiser's uploaded list.For sensitive topics, use Temporary Chat. It shows no ads and does not use or update memory.Timestamps:[0:00] Cold open[0:50] Intro[1:13] What 404 Media did[2:22] Your email and phone number[4:17] The switch which doesn't stop ads[5:42] What OpenAI promises[6:27] Five things to do today[7:42] OutroTools & Resources Mentioned:404 Media (Joseph Cox, Oct 15, 2026): How ChatGPT Targets Ads To You Based On Your Prompts, Phone Number, and EmailOpenAI Help: Ads in ChatGPTOpenAI Help: Set up Custom Audiences for your CampaignOpenAI Help: Write Context Hints for ChatGPT AdsOpenAI: Our approach to advertising and expanding access to ChatGPTGoogle: Advertising IDByteSizedSecurity blog: ChatGPT ads targeting (prompts, email, phone)Not legal advice. Settings and plan details reflect OpenAI's help pages as of October 15, 2026 and change over time.---I do hope you enjoyed this episode of the podcast. Here are some helpful resources including any sites that were mentioned in this episode.--Listen and subscribe: https://bytesizedsecurity.show/listen--Support ByteSizedSecurity (501(c)(3)): Donate via GiveLively--Questions or tips: email marc@bytesizedsecurity.show (subject: Byte-Sized Security). TikTok: @bytesizedsecurity
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