A recent partnership between OpenAI and Stack Overflow has sparked controversy among some members of the Stack Overflow community. The deal, announced on Monday, grants OpenAI access to Stack Overflow’s API and feedback from developers, while StackCommerce will integrate links in ChatGPT back to its source material and receive support using OpenAI models for its new OverflowAI platform. This arrangement has led to concerns among users about the ethical use of their contributed content, particularly regarding whether it is appropriate for OpenAI to profit from this content without explicit permission from its creators.
Following the announcement of the partnership, several Stack Overflow users attempted to delete or edit their high-vote content as a form of protest against what they perceived as unauthorized use of their intellectual property. However, they encountered resistance from the platform. Stack Overflow’s policy does not generally allow the deletion of posts if they have received answers, to preserve the integrity of the knowledge shared within the community. One user, a UI designer named Ben, tried to replace his high-rated answers with a protest message, only to have his edits reverted by moderators and his account suspended for seven days.
The incident has brought to light the tension between Stack Overflow’s content policies and the rights of users under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Article 17 of the GDPR grants individuals in the EU the ‘right to be forgotten,’ which includes the removal of personal data upon request. However, this right is limited by Article 17(3), which allows websites to retain data necessary for “exercising the right of freedom of expression and information,” particularly when the posts do not contain personally identifiable information.
The situation raises significant questions about the balance between user privacy and the preservation of valuable community discussions. Dutch IT lawyer Arnoud Engelfriet pointed out the challenges specific to forums, where deleting posts can disrupt ongoing discussions and the archival integrity of the forum. He argues that the principle of freedom of expression should allow historical discussions to be preserved, suggesting that privacy concerns should not override the public interest in maintaining a complete historical record. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how Stack Overflow will handle future requests for post deletions, especially in light of its partnership with OpenAI.
