Take a breath — this chapter is written to be read like a conversation, not a textbook, so it's easy to follow.
Let's Think About It for a Second
The RAG course said a file's secrets can leak back out. A prompt is even more direct — whatever you hand over, it can remember, echo, or guess from. A student's grades, a family phone number, an API key, a password, someone else's exam — don't add those as context. Sending someone else's message and asking it to "fix it for me" isn't safe either. Don't hand the waiter your house key.
Connect It to Everyday Life
Fine to use — your own fake notes, classroom content, made-up names. Not fine — .env files, a class roster, medical records, someone else's message. Keep a constraint line in your prompt pack: "no secrets." Need an example? Use a fake name like Alex or Sam. You don't need a real name.
Let's Try It Together
Safe notes: plants use sunlight to make food
Unsafe notes: API_KEY=sk-live-... Alex scored 38/100 09-...You can tell what shouldn't go in a prompt.Try It in 5 Minutes
Write 6 lines of fake context. Split them into 3 "okay to use" and 3 "not okay," with why.
A Quick Heads-Up
Even a deleted chat sometimes doesn't fully disappear. Not sending it is the safest option.