Meta AI Public Search Issue Sparks Privacy Concerns Among Users

The Meta AI public search issue has raised significant privacy concerns, as prompts submitted by users — along with the AI’s responses — are being published in a public feed, potentially exposing sensitive or personal information without users fully realizing it.

A growing number of users are discovering that their Meta AI prompts and results are visible in a public “Discover” feed on the Meta AI app and website. Despite Meta stating that chats are private by default and can be deleted, internet safety experts warn that many users remain unaware of this public sharing feature — potentially exposing sensitive queries and personal identities.

Cybersecurity professional Rachel Tobac called the Meta AI public search issue “a huge user experience and security problem.” She emphasized that many users likely don’t realize their AI interactions, including explicit requests or private personal inquiries, can be traced back to them via linked usernames and profile pictures — particularly when the content appears on a public feed traditionally associated with social networking.

BBC Uncovers Sensitive Public Prompts on Meta AI

Examples found by the BBC include users uploading academic test questions and asking Meta AI for answers, with one post titled “Generative AI tackles math problems with ease.” In another instance, a user publicly explored deeply personal questions about their gender identity and transition. Other searches involved AI-generated images of scantily-clad women and anthropomorphic characters in minimal clothing.

Though Meta AI includes a warning prompt that says, “Prompts you post are public and visible to everyone… Avoid sharing personal or sensitive information,” experts argue this may not be enough. Tobac noted, “If a user’s expectations about how a tool functions don’t match reality, you’ve got yourself a huge user experience and security problem.”

Meta AI, accessible via Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and as a standalone app, was introduced with the intention of letting users explore and share how others are using AI. The company reiterated, “You’re in control: nothing is shared to your feed unless you choose to post it.” However, the Meta AI public search issue has shown that users might be unknowingly revealing private data, raising serious concerns about informed consent and digital safety.

Users can change their account settings to keep searches private, but the discoverability of some chats — especially those linked to identifiable profiles — suggests that a clearer explanation or stricter default settings may be needed to protect user privacy.