OpenAI Introduces ChatGPT For Teens With Parental Controls, Study Features
OpenAI adds stronger safeguards and parental controls for teen users.
OpenAI has introduced a version of ChatGPT designed specifically for teenagers, adding stronger safeguards and parental controls as the company faces growing scrutiny over the use of artificial intelligence by minors. The new system, described as “ChatGPT for Teens”, is intended for users aged 13 to 17 and introduces additional restrictions around sensitive content and interactions.
The modified safeguards are designed to apply automatically when users register as teenagers or are identified by the company as potentially underage. Many of the protections build on measures already available for accounts belonging to minors, including stricter handling of content involving self-harm, violence, eating disorders and graphic sexual material. The teen-focused version also includes more frequent reminders to take breaks from conversations.
The system introduces additional features intended to make ChatGPT more appropriate for younger users. These include “quiet hours” that limit use at designated times and Study Mode, which is designed to guide students through questions and concepts instead of simply providing direct answers. OpenAI has also restricted certain interactions so that the chatbot does not suggest it has personal feelings for a user or possesses its own consciousness, while some features, including voice mode, are disabled.
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Parents can choose to link their accounts with those of their teenage children and receive alerts in certain high-risk situations. According to OpenAI, alerts related to serious safety concerns are reviewed by human moderators, while specific details from conversations are removed as part of measures intended to protect users’ privacy. The company has positioned parental controls as an additional layer of oversight rather than a replacement for existing safety measures.
The launch comes as OpenAI faces legal and regulatory scrutiny over the potential risks posed by AI chatbots to young users. The company is facing wrongful-death lawsuits, including litigation brought by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine. The US Federal Trade Commission has also opened an inquiry into AI chatbot companies that offer digital companion-style services, with a focus on their potential impact on children and teenagers.
The wider technology industry is facing increasing pressure to establish stronger protections for minors using AI systems. Lawmakers in the United States have proposed measures aimed at regulating chatbot services, while California has introduced requirements concerning safeguards for AI assistants that can function as companions or confidants. Other AI companies have also responded to concerns surrounding minors, with some restricting access to certain services to adult users.
Also Read: OpenAI Shares Five ChatGPT Prompts For Faster Everyday Work
