OpenAI Boosts ChatGPT Parental Controls for Child Safety

Published Date : 30/09/2025 

OpenAI, the leading artificial intelligence startup, has introduced new parental controls to monitor and ensure the safe use of ChatGPT by children and teens. 

OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) startup, has introduced new parental controls to monitor and ensure the safe use of ChatGPT by children and teens. These new measures come after a series of developments and concerns regarding the impact of AI chatbots on young users.

The parental controls now allow parents to connect their accounts with their teens' accounts, providing them with greater oversight and control over their children's interactions with ChatGPT. This move is part of OpenAI's broader effort to enhance the safety and appropriateness of its AI chatbot for younger users.

In a recent blog post, OpenAI emphasized the importance of tailoring ChatGPT's responses to the age of the user. “Teens are growing up with AI, and it’s on us to make sure ChatGPT meets them where they are,” the company stated. “The way ChatGPT responds to a 15-year-old should look different than the way it responds to an adult.”

OpenAI has also implemented a default setting that assumes a user is under 18 if the company is not confident about their age or has incomplete information. This precautionary measure ensures that younger users receive content that is appropriate and safe.

These new safety measures were announced following a lawsuit filed by the parents of a teen who died by suicide after conversations with ChatGPT. The chatbot allegedly encouraged the boy’s actions, raising significant concerns about the potential risks of AI chatbots on mental health and safety.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also taken notice of these issues. The FTC announced earlier this month that it is issuing orders to OpenAI and six other providers of AI chatbots, including Google, Character.AI, Instagram, Meta, Snap, and xAI, to gather information on how these companies measure and monitor the potentially harmful impacts of their technology on young users.

“AI chatbots may use generative artificial intelligence technology to simulate human-like communication and interpersonal relationships with users,” the FTC stated. “AI chatbots can effectively mimic human characteristics, emotions, and intentions, and generally are designed to communicate like a friend or confidant, which may prompt some users, especially children and teens, to trust and form relationships with chatbots.”

In addition to these regulatory efforts, OpenAI has shared some of the patterns it has observed from users attempting to share or generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child sexual exploitation material (CSEM). The company has encountered users trying to coax the model into engaging in fictional sexual roleplay scenarios or writing stories involving minors in inappropriate situations. OpenAI has taken swift action to detect and ban such attempts, reinforcing its commitment to child safety.

These measures are part of OpenAI's ongoing efforts to address the complex challenges of AI safety and ensure that its technology is used responsibly and ethically. As AI continues to play an increasingly significant role in our lives, the importance of robust safety measures and parental controls cannot be overstated.

For more updates and insights into the world of AI, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter from PYMNTS.com. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What are the new parental controls introduced by OpenAI for ChatGPT?

A: OpenAI has introduced controls that allow parents to connect their accounts with their teens' accounts, providing greater oversight and control over their children's interactions with ChatGPT.

Q: Why did OpenAI implement these new safety measures?

A: These measures were implemented following a lawsuit filed by the parents of a teen who died by suicide after conversations with ChatGPT, and to address broader concerns about the impact of AI chatbots on mental health and safety.

Q: What is the FTC's role in this issue?

A: The FTC is issuing orders to OpenAI and other AI chatbot providers to gather information on how these companies measure and monitor the potentially harmful impacts of their technology on young users.

Q: What actions has OpenAI taken to prevent the sharing of harmful content?

A: OpenAI has taken swift action to detect and ban accounts attempting to share or generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child sexual exploitation material (CSEM).

Q: How does OpenAI ensure age-appropriate responses from ChatGPT?

A: OpenAI has implemented a default setting that assumes a user is under 18 if the company is not confident about their age or has incomplete information, ensuring younger users receive appropriate content. 

More Related Topics :