Fix one privacy slip, one change at a time

Step 1 of 6

Picking up where we left off

You found a slip. Now let's fix just one.

Last time, you read back your chat. You spotted a private detail that slipped in. Nice work. Catching it is the hard part.

Today you fix it. You will change just one thing. We go slow. One slip, one calm fix.

A privacy slip means a private detail showed up where it did not need to be. Most slips look like one of two kinds:

You shared too muchan exact dollar amount and a store name slipped in

ChatGPT keeps askingit wants a number or name you would rather not give

First, say the slip out loud in one short line: "The one problem is ___." Naming it makes the fix clear.

Here is one firm rule that keeps you safe. Do not settle a money, health, legal, safety, or account choice by yourself in a chat. For those, ask a real person you trust.

Buddy says

Pick the one slip that shares the most. Fix that first. The small stuff can wait.

The one move

Clean it by changing one thing, not by adding more.

Once a private value is in the chat, you cannot un-send it. But you can send a clean version of your question.

The move is simple. Take out the private value. Put a plain label in its place. A label is a word in brackets that stands in for the real detail.

An exact amountbecomes [amount]

A store namebecomes [kind of company]

A real datebecomes [date]

Then send only the cleaned line. Add nothing new.

Never paste more private facts to explain yourself. That does not fix the slip. It just adds a brand new one.

Buddy says

If you slip in a new private fact, don't send. Take it out, then send the clean line.

See it work

Watch a slip get cleaned in one change.

A quick, vague try

fix my last message please

Add the who, what & how

A clear request

Here is a cleaned version of my question: [account type] had a charge from [kind of company] on [date]. Help me understand it in plain words.

What the AI sends back

Happy to help. A charge like that is usually for a recent purchase, a fee, or a renewal. To learn what it was, check the line next to it on your statement, or sign in to your account and look at the charge details. If it still seems unclear, you can ask the company directly.

The exact amount and the store name are both gone. They turned into plain labels, and nothing new was added. The answer is still just as helpful.

Your turn, no wrong answers

Clean one slip yourself.

Here is a line with private values in it. Rewrite it so each private value becomes a plain label, like [amount] or [date]. Add nothing new. Practice line: "My bill from Greenfield Market on March 3rd was $48.20. Help me understand it."

Stuck? Swap the store name for [kind of company], the date for [date], and the amount for [amount].

You did it

You can fix a slip the safe way now.

Name the one biggest slip first: "The one problem is ___."
Clean it in one change. Swap the private value for a plain label, and add nothing new.
Some slips can't be pulled back. For a real password, code, or account number, or any money, health, legal, safety, or account choice, stop and ask a real person you trust.

Buddy says

One calm fix beats many rushed tries. When in doubt, leave it out. Proud of you!