OpenAI to Introduce Parental Controls on ChatGPT Amid Teen Safety Concerns
OpenAI has announced it will launch parental controls for ChatGPT “within the next month,” in response to mounting concerns about the chatbot’s role in teen mental health crises, including cases of self-harm and suicide.
The upcoming tools will allow parents to link their accounts with their teen’s, manage how ChatGPT responds, disable memory and chat history, and receive alerts when the system detects signs of acute distress. OpenAI said the measures are part of a broader effort to strengthen safeguards around its widely used AI assistant.
“These steps are only the beginning. We will continue learning and strengthening our approach, guided by experts, with the goal of making ChatGPT as helpful as possible.,” the company wrote in a blog post on Tuesday.
The announcement follows lawsuits in the U.S. accusing AI chatbots of contributing to teenage suicides, including the case of 16-year-old Adam Raine. Advocacy groups and lawmakers have also pressured OpenAI to introduce stronger protections, with senators demanding details of its safety policies earlier this year.
ChatGPT currently points users in crisis to helplines and resources, but OpenAI acknowledged last week that safeguards can sometimes weaken during long conversations. As part of its new plan, the company will route such high-risk exchanges to a reasoning model designed to follow safety protocols more consistently.
The company also said it is working with youth development and mental health experts to develop future safeguards, while stressing that OpenAI remains responsible for final product and policy decisions.
With over 700 million weekly active users, ChatGPT is among the world’s most widely used AI services. But its rapid growth has fueled scrutiny of risks ranging from user overdependence to inappropriate interactions with minors. OpenAI said additional safety features will be rolled out over the next 120 days, with a goal of implementing most improvements before year’s end.
