What not to share with an AI tool
When you write to an AI tool, a good rule is to write as if the message were public. Some services may keep what you type, and may use it to improve their systems, depending on their terms. You cannot always know where your words go afterwards. So choose carefully what you type. Safe things have no private details: a maths question, or a story idea of your own. Unsafe things are personal information that can identify you or give access to you: full name, home address, phone number, school name, private photos, passwords, and worries about your family. For a worry, talk to a trusted adult, not to a tool. Always do online tasks together with a grown-up.
| Kind of message | Safe to send? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| a maths question | yes | no private details |
| a story idea of your own | yes | it is yours to share |
| your full name and home address | no | tells strangers who and where you are |
| your school name and class | no | helps strangers find you |
| a phone number | no | personal contact detail |
| a private photo | no | may spread and cannot be taken back |
| a password | no | gives access to your account |
| a worry about a family problem | no | tell a trusted adult instead |
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| I am (full name) from (school name). Please fix my essay about my town. | Please fix this paragraph about a town: (the paragraph only). |
Write eight invented messages for an AI tool, four you would send and four you would not. For each message you would not send, write a safer version or the name of the grown-up you would talk to instead.