AI Privacy Basics for Older Adults

When you type something into a free chatbot, your message usually travels to a company's servers, gets stored for a while, and may be used to train future versions of the AI. That does not mean you cannot use it — but it does mean think before you paste.

Ten plain rules

1. 1Never paste full names of people who did not give permission.
2. 2Never paste a Social Security number or full bank account number.
3. 3Never paste a password or security question answer.
4. 4Never paste a full medical record. Use placeholders like 'Patient is a 75-year-old woman with diabetes.'
5. 5Never paste an attorney letter or sealed court document.
6. 6Use first names and initials for family.
7. 7Turn off chat history if the option exists (look in settings).
8. 8Sign out at the end of the day on shared computers.
9. 9If you would not put it on a postcard, do not put it in a free chatbot.
10. 10Paid versions usually offer better privacy controls — read what you are signing up for.

The big idea: keep your private life private. AI is a postcard, not a sealed letter.