Clearing Cookies Deletes Playground Chat History

Not sure when this started or why but the chat history doesn’t look like it’s being saved serverside but clientside. When Switching browsers the chat history isn’t populating in the new browser. Clearing Cookies is causing the chat history to be cleared. It’s account releated IMO.

This issue makes me less trustful of the entire service. How can I be sure I’m actually interacting with gpt-4o and not some open-source knockoff?

Hi @hatmanstack !

I have done the same thing - clearing browser cache, changing browser, and verifying cross-devices. It is definitely being saved server side:

  • I have the same chat history across different web browsers
  • I have the same chat history on my iPhone app

Could there be an issue with your account? Have you logged in properly/consistently?

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Logged in Consistently, the same way, password manager to 2FA with google authenticator app. Checked with a different network and device, mobile. Same result.

For me Playground history is client side and ChatGPT history is server side.

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I’m an OnDemand user, does a pro subscription make a difference?

The platform site’s API call playground history is not stored on the server. It is local storage on the browser.

It is not “cookies” being cleared, but the browser function that you use to “clear cache” (or what have you) that may be affecting more than cookies.

> Indexed DB: \platform.openai.com → keyval-store → keyval → oai:playground:chat:history

The odd thing: the playground site scripts have no need to enforce a 30-day history where they clean up your own local storage. Where you revisit 30 days later and everything that was there, being happy, gets wiped. A maximum number of turns would be a better management policy.

The subscription to ChatGPT doesn’t affect anything API.

If you want a robust session history - write an app!

Can’t believe you inferred from that I thought a chat history would be stored as cookies, Made me Smile.

I have only light usage with the playground but from what I remember it held state between browser restarts. I could definetly be wrong but could you point me towards any documentation that might confirm what you’re saying?

Completly agree, Absurd to include a 30 day window if it’s stored locally some type of size or turn managment makes more sense. It’s also quite misleading as it implies the management is server side not client side.

You’d have to write your own “documentation”. The playground is an application. Do you give up the secrets of how your API-based application works?

From a browser’s local storage:

I agree that it could be clearer, maybe hover text, lest you expect to fire up your laptop and continue, or if you erroneously think it would expose all API usage.

Self-management of the past calls would be helpful, also. A delete button, even.

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I guess you’re untrustworthy then. Thanks for the clarification.

Assuming that you could be served some false AI model when using the OpenAI platform because of your ability to destroy your browser’s local history database, or not understanding where it is stored, is quite a leap of logic.

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