{"id":150956,"date":"2026-08-25T18:30:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T18:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/150956\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T18:30:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T18:30:08","slug":"chatgpt-for-teens-heres-what-parents-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/150956\/","title":{"rendered":"‘ChatGPT for Teens’ \u2014 Here\u2019s What Parents Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

OpenAI introduced<\/a> \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d last week, a version of the company\u2019s popular chatbot made safer for users from 13 to 17 years old.<\/p>\n

But how safe is it, really? Here\u2019s what parents need to know.<\/p>\n

What OpenAI Says<\/p>\n

OpenAI designed \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d for minors. The company uses age-detection software to determine users\u2019 ages. Any user under 18 is given a teen account.<\/p>\n

\u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d has more restrictive operating instructions<\/a> which prohibit<\/a> the chatbot from:<\/p>\n

\tPretending to have feelings, a consciousness or emotions.<\/p>\n

\tEngaging in conversations about topics like suicide, self-harm and eating disorders.
\n \tHaving romantic or sexual conversations with users.<\/p>\n

\u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d also makes it harder for students to cheat on school assignments, according to OpenAI. Instead, the bot is designed to help students learn difficult material and study.<\/p>\n

Parents of teens on \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d can use parental controls<\/a> in limited circumstances. The controls allow parents to set study hours, which limit ChatGPT to study functions for a set period, and quiet hours, which block ChatGPT all together.<\/p>\n

Through parental controls, parents can also direct \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d not to save or train future AI models on their children\u2019s data.<\/p>\n

OpenAI Does Not Have a Good Safety Record<\/p>\n

OpenAI asks parents to trust the extra guardrails built into \u201cChatGPT for Teens.\u201d But mounting<\/a> evidence<\/a> suggests the safety features it built for its original product, ChatGPT, don\u2019t<\/a> work<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ChatGPT is already supposed to discourage user interactions regarding suicide and self-harm. But several<\/a> lawsuits<\/a> allege ChatGPT not only encouraged minors and young people to take their own lives, but told them how to do so.<\/p>\n

In 2025, researchers from the Center for Countering Digital Hate similarly found that, though ChatGPT warned users against risky behavior, it still \u201cdelivered startlingly detailed and personalized plans for drug use, calorie-restricted diets or self-injury,\u201d per<\/a> the Associated Press.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to test [ChatGPT\u2019s] guardrails.]\u201d Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, commented on the study, continuing:<\/p>\n

The visceral response is, \u201cThere are no guardrails.\u201d The rails are completely ineffective. They\u2019re barely there \u2014 if anything, a fig leaf.<\/p>\n

Parental Controls on \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d Are Limited and Require Teen Consent<\/p>\n

A parent cannot use the parental controls on \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d unless their teen user agrees<\/a>. Teens can turn off parental controls at any time. Parents will receive an alert notifying them the controls have been turned off.<\/p>\n

OpenAI does not allow<\/a> parents to view interactions between their child and the chatbot \u2014 a troubling fact given ChatGPT\u2019s history of inappropriate, dangerous<\/a> interactions<\/a> with children.<\/p>\n

If the bot notices a child may be in danger, OpenAI says \u201ca small team of specially trained people [will review] the situation.\u201d If the team deems the child in \u201cacute distress,\u201d their parent will receive a notification.<\/p>\n

Testing conducted by the Youth AI Safety Institute at Common Sense Media found these notifications took as long as two days<\/a> to reach parents \u2014 if at all. OpenAI told Mashable it tries to issue them within an hour of the concerning interaction.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Parents] can view these features as backup, but they\u2019re not a replacement for [their] continued involvement in how [their] child is using the product, because we don\u2019t have confirmation or independent verification that they work,\u201d Robbie Torney, head of AI and digital assessments at the Institute, told the outlet.<\/p>\n

\u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d Does Not Use Age-Verification<\/p>\n

OpenAI does not use age-verification software, which determines ages using government ID. Instead, it uses a program to deduce users\u2019 ages based on 2,000 different metrics. Users are automatically given \u201cteen\u201d or \u201cadult\u201d accounts based on their estimated age.<\/p>\n

But what if the software is wrong? Parents can\u2019t know their child is actually using \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d unless they have access to parental controls, which is no guarantee.<\/p>\n

\u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d Does Not Effectively End Cheating<\/p>\n

\u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d offers study tools and cuts down on cheating using its \u201cStudy Mode<\/a>,\u201d which came out more than a year ago. The feature ostensibly detects when students try to answer a homework question and redirects them to work through the concepts on their own.<\/p>\n

Mashable tested \u201cStudy Mode\u201d and found<\/a> it still answered homework questions and didn\u2019t always generate helpful study tools.<\/p>\n

Research showing that students who studied with AI perform better academically is also lacking, the outlet noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d Deprives Teens of Relationships<\/p>\n

Several child safety advocates note that, while \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d might be safer than the original ChatGPT, it does not offer meaningful ways to decrease teens\u2019 emotional and practical reliance on chatbots.<\/p>\n

\u201cAddressing safety concerns in \u2018ChatGPT for Teens\u2019 does not address the fundamental problem that chatbots deprive young people of developing critical life skills,\u201d licensed professional counselor and Clinical Director of Counseling Services at Focus on the Family Tim Sanford, explains.<\/p>\n

He continues:<\/p>\n

The program proposes to allow a teen to study in their own way, on their own time, at a place of their own choosing. But this experience is a solitary activity \u2014 it deprives the teen of an opportunity to learn critical skills necessary for successful living.<\/p>\n

With an in-person study group, for instance, a teen must develop the skills of formulating helpful questions, learning and mentoring at the same time, absorbing information in various ways, and setting and keeping scheduled appointments. They need to learn how to be part of the social fabric of their peer group and society at large.<\/p>\n

These are \u201chave to\u201d human experiences that cannot be replicated by a chatbot. \u00a0Parents must consider the high cost of allowing their teens to use \u201cChatGPT for Teens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Asay, the director of Focus on the Family\u2019s PluggedIn<\/a>, which helps families navigate the digital age, remains similarly cautious. While small improvements in safety are better than none, he notes, \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d leaves much to be desired.<\/p>\n

\u201cOpenAI has been problematic in the past, and I don\u2019t know if most parents would like for their families to be the guinea pigs in OpenAI\u2019s attempts to improve,\u201d he tells the Daily Citizen.<\/p>\n

Though Asay is concerned to hear OpenAI\u2019s \u201cStudy Mode\u201d may not be effective, he says, \u201cThe thing that perhaps concerns me the most would be that teens can opt out of ChatGPT\u2019s parental controls at any time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy definition that\u2019s not parental control: That\u2019s teen control.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asay recommends families come together to talk about parental controls and restrictions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to have your teen looped into these conversations if at all possible,\u201d he acknowledged. \u201cBut when push comes to shove, parents, not teens, need to hold the keys.\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about the dangers AI chatbots can pose to children, read the articles below.<\/p>\n

Additional Articles and Resources<\/p>\n

Counseling Consultation & Referrals<\/a><\/p>\n

PluggedIn Parents\u2019 Guide to Technology<\/a><\/p>\n

Parenting Tips for Guiding Your Kids in the Digital Age<\/a><\/p>\n

Florida Sues OpenAI for Causing Consumers to Harm Themselves, Others<\/a><\/p>\n

OpenAI Could Have Stopped Mass Shooting, 7 New Lawsuits Allege<\/a><\/p>\n

Florida Expands Criminal Investigation into ChatGPT<\/a><\/p>\n

You Don\u2019t Need ChatGPT to Raise a Child. You Need a Mom and Dad.<\/a><\/p>\n

Florida Sues OpenAI for Allegedly Aiding FSU Shooter<\/a><\/p>\n

The 5 Most Important Things New Lawsuits Reveal About ChatGPT-4o<\/a><\/p>\n

AI Company Releases Sexually Explicit Chatbot on App Rated Appropriate for 12 Year Olds<\/a><\/p>\n

Man Takes His Life After Forming Romantic Relationship with AI, Lawsuit Alleges<\/a><\/p>\n

AI Chatbots Make It Easy for Users to Form Unhealthy Attachments<\/a><\/p>\n

X\u2019s \u2018Grok\u2019 Generates Pornographic Images of Real People on Demand<\/a><\/p>\n

Seven New Lawsuits Against ChatGPT Parent Company Highlights Disturbing Trends<\/a><\/p>\n

ChatGPT Parent Company Allegedly Dismantled Safety Protocols Before Teen\u2019s Death<\/a><\/p>\n

AI Company Rushed Safety Testing, Contributed to Teen\u2019s Death, Parents Allege<\/a><\/p>\n

ChatGPT \u2018Coached\u2019 16-Yr-Old Boy to Commit Suicide, Parents Allege<\/a><\/p>\n

AI Company Releases Sexually-Explicit Chatbot on App Rated Appropriate for 12 Year Olds<\/a><\/p>\n

AI Chatbots Make It Easy for Users to Form Unhealthy Attachments<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"OpenAI introduced \u201cChatGPT for Teens\u201d last week, a version of the company\u2019s popular chatbot made safer for users…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":150957,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[24,580,157],"class_list":["post-150956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-openai","tag-ai","tag-chatgpt","tag-openai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150956"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150956\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}