The more context you give an AI, the better its help. That creates a quiet temptation to paste everything. A short checklist keeps you out of trouble.
Never paste
- Passwords, PINs, recovery codes, or API keys
- Full account, card, or government ID numbers
- Medical records or detailed health information about you or others
- Confidential work material you are not cleared to share, such as unreleased numbers, client files, or legal documents
- Other people's private details without a good reason
Think twice before pasting
- Names and addresses of clients, patients, students, or family
- Contracts and internal strategy
- Anything your employer's policy covers
If you are unsure, ask your employer or IT team which tools are approved. Many workplaces have an approved assistant with stricter data protections than a free consumer app.
How to get the help without the risk
Replace details. Swap real names and numbers with placeholders. "[CLIENT]" and "[AMOUNT]" work just fine for most tasks.
Paste the minimum. Share the paragraph you need help with, not the whole file.
Summarize yourself. Describe the situation in your own words instead of pasting the original.
Use the settings. Check whether your tool saves history or uses conversations for training, and whether you can turn that off.
Delete when done. Remove sensitive conversations you no longer need.
A quick test before you hit send
Ask yourself: "Would I be comfortable if this text appeared somewhere I did not intend?" If the answer is no, redact it or leave it out.
Be fair to other people
Your friends, coworkers, and customers did not agree to have their details shared with a tool. A little care protects them as well as you.
Privacy habits take a few seconds each time. The free foundations course shows how to build them into your prompts from the start.
This post is general education, not legal advice. Follow the policies that apply to you.