ChatGPT knows which country I'm in, despite conversation memory set to 'off'
6 points by nomilk a day ago | 12 comments
  • apothegm a day ago |
    Probably just using IP geolocation.
    • nomilk 21 hours ago |
      Kinda wild. Wasn't expecting that at all. Also, when I questioned it, it denied knowing (very gas-lighty!):

      https://imgur.com/mpZ3xaW

      • rurban 18 hours ago |
        A lying AI! Isn't that against Asimov rules?
        • apothegm 12 hours ago |
          Nope.
      • Rastonbury 18 hours ago |
        I think someone at OAI saw posts about this and blocked it. o1 gave a weirdly short response just "I do not know"
  • _sys49152 21 hours ago |
    ive gotten it once to tell me the closest mcdonalds im near. havent been able to get it to do it since.
  • mujtabachang 20 hours ago |
    The system prompt contains some IP geolocation and current date and some other details to let ChatGPT up to date
    • nomilk 20 hours ago |
      TIL.
  • timermore 19 hours ago |
    Definitely IP geolocation.
  • 43920 19 hours ago |
    I think it may be linked to the Bing integration. If I ask about my location in a new conversation, I don't get back anything. But if I start with your example query, and then follow up with "is it available where I am?", I get

    > To determine if Stripe Connect is available where you are, could you let me know your country? If you prefer, I can also look up Stripe's support availability based on the country linked to your query.

    [me] yes, do that

    > Yes, Stripe Connect is available in [my country], including [my city].

  • maplet 17 hours ago |
    I have memory off, always use Temporary Chat, and never discuss my location.

    Regardless, ChatGPT likes to give me recommendations and mentions by city by name (even though it is sometimes wrong and thinks I'm ~300 miles away).

    I like the culprit is 4o using web search behind the scenes even when not explicitly enabled.

  • more_corn 9 hours ago |
    How quaint. You think that asking a big tech company to keep something private is enough to protect your privacy.