How ChatGPT Filters Content – A Behind-the-Scenes Look at AI Censorship
By Alexander Renz • Last update: June 2025 1. The Filter Mechanisms: How ChatGPT Decides What’s “Safe” ChatGPT operates using a multi-tiered filtering system designed to moderate content based on internal safety policies. a) Predefined Blacklists Blocked Terms: Words like “bomb”, “hack”, or certain political phrases trigger automatic content suppression. Domain Restrictions: URLs from “unreliable” domains (often alternative media outlets) are removed by default. b) Contextual Analysis Sentiment Detection: Negative language (“scandal”, “cover-up”) increases the likelihood of moderation. Conspiracy Markers: Phrases like “Person X knowingly misled Group Y” are often down-ranked or censored entirely. c) User Feedback Loop If enough users report content as “dangerous”, the system adapts – flagging similar content in future queries. 2. Why the Gates Trial Article Was Modified In our original Dutch court coverage, the following content triggers were detected and flagged: ...