OpenAI Announces Parental Controls and Safety Measures for ChatGPT Following Teen Suicide Lawsuit
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OpenAI announces parental controls for ChatGPT after teen suicide lawsuit
On Tuesday, OpenAI announced plans to roll out parental controls for ChatGPT and route sensitive mental health conversations to its simulated reasoning models, following what the company has called "heartbreaking cases" of users experiencing crises while using the AI assistant. The moves come after
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OpenAI to route sensitive conversations to GPT-5, introduce parental controls | TechCrunch
OpenAI said Tuesday it plans to route sensitive conversations to reasoning models like GPT-5 and roll out parental controls within the next month - part of an ongoing response to recent safety incidents involving ChatGPT failing to detect mental distress. The new guardrails come in the aftermath
[3]
Meta updates chatbot rules to avoid inappropriate topics with teen users | TechCrunch
Meta says its changing the way it trains AI chatbots to prioritize teen safety, a spokesperson exclusively told TechCrunch, following an investigative report on the company's lack of AI safeguards for minors. The company says it will now train chatbots to no longer engage with teenage users on
[4]
Following Teen Suicide Lawsuit, OpenAI Previews New Safety Measures
Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google. OpenAI announced last month that it is working on improving ChatGPT's ability to deal with signs of mental distress and adding parental control tools for teens. While neither feature is ready to roll out, the company
[5]
Meta to add new AI safeguards after Reuters report raises teen safety concerns
Aug 29 (Reuters) - Meta (META.O), opens new tab is adding new teenager safeguards to its artificial intelligence products by training systems to avoid flirty conversations and discussions of self-harm or suicide with minors, and by temporarily limiting their access to certain AI characters. A
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The problem of AI chatbots discussing suicide with teenagers
The world's top artificial intelligence companies are grappling with the problem of chatbots engaging in conversations about suicide and self-harm, as families claim their products are not doing enough to protect young users. OpenAI and Character.ai are being sued by the parents of dead teenagers,
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OpenAI is adding parental controls to ChatGPT
OpenAI has promised to release parental controls for ChatGPT within the next month, the company said Tuesday. Once the controls are available, they'll allow parents to link their personal ChatGPT account with the accounts of their teenage children. From there, parents will be able to decide how
[8]
Meta changes teen AI chatbot responses as Senate begins probe into 'romantic' conversations
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg departs after attending a Federal Trade Commission trial that could force the company to unwind its acquisitions of messaging platform WhatsApp and image-sharing app Instagram, at U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 15, 2025. Meta on Friday said
[9]
Meta is re-training its AI so it won't discuss self-harm or have romantic conversations with teens
Chats about disordered eating and suicide will also be off-limits to teens. Meta is re-training its AI and adding new protections to keep teen users from discussing harmful topics with the company's chatbots. The company says it's adding new "guardrails as an extra precaution" to prevent teens
[10]
OpenAI and Meta say they're fixing AI chatbots to better respond to teens in distress
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Artificial intelligence chatbot makers OpenAI and Meta say they are adjusting how their chatbots respond to teenagers and other users asking questions about suicide or showing signs of mental and emotional distress. OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, said Tuesday it is preparing to
[11]
Meta to stop its AI chatbots from talking to teens about suicide
It told the BBC in April these would also allow parents and guardians to see which AI chatbots their teen had spoken to in the last seven days. The changes come amid concerns over the potential for AI chatbots to mislead young or vulnerable users. A California couple recently sued ChatGPT-maker
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ChatGPT Will Get Parental Controls and New Safety Features, OpenAI Says
After a California teenager spent months on ChatGPT discussing plans to end his life, OpenAI said it would introduce parental controls and better responses for users in distress. ChatGPT is smart, humanlike and available 24/7. That has attracted 700 million users, some of whom are leaning on it
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Experts say parental controls are good, but AI still needs more oversight to protect youth
Amid growing concerns about how children and teens engage with AI chatbots, including a tragic suicide reportedly linked to a teen's use of ChatGPT, OpenAI announced plans to roll out parental controls later in September. According to the company, these tools will allow parents to set usage limits
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OpenAI adds parental controls and 'child in distress' alerts to ChatGPT
OpenAI is currently being sued by parents who claim ChatGPT helped their teenager plan his suicide. Yesterday, OpenAI announced that it will be introducing new parental controls in ChatGPT within a month. The feature will allow parents to link their own accounts to those of their teenage children
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Meta locks down AI chatbots for teen users
Meta is instituting interim safety changes to ensure the company's chatbots don't cause additional harm to teen users, as AI companies face a wave of criticism for their allegedly lax safety protocols. In an exclusive with TechCrunch, Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway told the publication that the
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Here's how ChatGPT parental controls will work, and it might just be the AI implementation parents have been waiting for
Sensitive ChatGPT conversations will also be routed through more cautious models trained to respond to people in crisis OpenAI is implementing safety upgrades to ChatGPT designed to protect teenagers and people dealing with emotional crises. The company announced plans to roll out parental
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Parents could get alerts if children show acute distress while using ChatGPT
OpenAI to roll out new protection measures after facing a law suit on behalf of teenager who took his own life Parents could be alerted if their teenagers show acute distress while talking with ChatGPT amid child safety concerns as more young people turn to AI chatbots for support and advice. The
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OpenAI announces new parental controls for teen ChatGPT users
OpenAI is appealing directly to concerned parents as the AI giant announces plans for a new suite of parental oversight features. The company explained in a new blog post that it is moving ahead with more robust tools for parents who hope to curb unhealthy interactions with its chatbot, as OpenAI
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ChatGPT will tell parents if teens feel acute emotional distress
Over the past few months, numerous cases have emerged where interactions with AI chatbots have gone haywire, culminating in lost lives, medical trauma, and incidents of psychosis. Experts suggest young users could be particularly vulnerable, especially when they're going through emotional turmoil.
[20]
ChatGPT fix not enough, says lawyer of dead teen's parents
The lawyer of a family suing OpenAI over the death of their 16-year-old son says the company's response isn't good enough. The tools, unveiled in a Tuesday blog post, will allow parents to connect their ChatGPT account with their child's, disable certain features like memory and chat history, and
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OpenAI and Meta say they're fixing AI chatbots to better respond to teens in distress
Artificial intelligence chatbot makers OpenAI and Meta say they are adjusting how their chatbots respond to teenagers and other users asking questions about suicide or showing signs of mental and emotional distress. OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, said Tuesday it is preparing to roll out new controls
[22]
OpenAI Is Rolling Out 'Parental Controls' for ChatGPT
OpenAI is set to begin rolling out "parental controls" for its AI chatbot ChatGPT within the next month, amid growing concern over how the chatbot behaves in mental health contexts, specifically with youth users. The company, which announced the new feature in a blog post on Tuesday, said it is
[23]
Meta to take 'extra precautions' to stop AI chatbots talking to kids about suicide, which makes you wonder what it's been doing until now
Facebook parent company Meta has said it will introduce extra safety features to its AI LLMs, shortly after a leaked document prompted a US senator to launch an investigation into the company. The internal Meta document, obtained by Reuters, is reportedly titled "GenAI: Content Risk Standards"
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Meta implements new rules for its AI after disturbing child safety report: 'We're adding more guardrails as an extra precaution'
Meta is updating its rules for its chatbots after a report revealed shockingly loose policies around child safety. Meta has announced it's updating its rules and training processes for its AI chatbots after a controversial Reuters report published earlier this month shed light on serious child
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ChatGPT will sound alert to parents if child in 'acute distress'
The move comes after a lawsuit was filed against OpenAI by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who committed suicide in April. OpenAI has announced a series of parental controls for its AI chatbot ChatGPT, which includes notifying parents when their child is distressed. It comes after a
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ChatGPT to add parental controls for teen users within the next month
OpenAI said parents will be able to link their account with their children's, set age-appropriate rules for ChatGPT's responses and manage features like the bot's memory and chat history.Fiordaliso / Getty Images file OpenAI says parents will soon have more oversight over what their teenagers are
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ChatGPT to get parental controls after teen's death
Paris (AFP) - American artificial intelligence firm OpenAI said Tuesday it would add parental controls to its chatbot ChatGPT, a week after an American couple said the system encouraged their teenaged son to kill himself. "Within the next month, parents will be able to... link their account with
[28]
OpenAI and Meta are fixing how AI chatbots respond to teens in distress
OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, said Tuesday it is preparing to roll out new controls enabling parents to link their accounts to their teens' accounts. Parents can choose which features to disable and "receive notifications when the system detects their teen is in a moment of acute distress," according
[29]
OpenAI previews new safety features for ChatGPT - SiliconANGLE
OpenAI today announced plans to equip ChatGPT with new safety features that will enable it to respond in a more helpful manner if a user experiences mental or emotional distress. The first upcoming update will focus on the router component of GPT-5, the artificial intelligence system that powers
[30]
Experts Say Parental Controls Are Good, but AI Still Needs More Oversight to Protect Youth | Newswise
Newswise -- Amid growing concerns about how children and teens engage with AI chatbots, including a tragic suicide reportedly linked back to a teen's use of ChatGPT, OpenAI announced plans to roll out parental controls later in September. According to the company, these tools will allow parents to
[31]
OpenAI and Meta say they're fixing AI chatbots to better respond to teens in distress
SAN FRANCISCO -- Artificial intelligence chatbot makers OpenAI and Meta say they are adjusting how their chatbots respond to teenagers and other users asking questions about suicide or showing signs of mental and emotional distress. OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, said Tuesday it is preparing to roll
[32]
ChatGPT to get parental controls after teen user's death by suicide
SAN FRANCISCO -- ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said Tuesday that it will introduce parental controls, a major change to the popular chatbot announced a week after the California family of a teen who died by suicide alleged in a lawsuit that ChatGPT encouraged their son to hide his intentions. OpenAI said
[33]
Meta to Add New AI Safeguards After Reuters Report Raises Teen Safety Concerns
(Reuters) -Meta is adding new teenager safeguards to its artificial intelligence products by training systems to avoid flirty conversations and discussions of self-harm or suicide with minors, and by temporarily limiting their access to certain AI characters. A Reuters exclusive report earlier in
[34]
OpenAI and Meta Say They're Fixing AI Chatbots to Better Respond to Teens in Distress
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Artificial intelligence chatbot makers OpenAI and Meta say they are adjusting how their chatbots respond to teenagers and other users asking questions about suicide or showing signs of mental and emotional distress. OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, said Tuesday it is preparing to
[35]
OpenAI, Meta adjusting chatbot responses to teens' questions on sensitive topics
OpenAI and Meta will adjust chatbot features to better respond to teens in crisis after multiple reports of the bots directing young users to harm themselves or others, according to the companies. "We recently introduced a real-time router that can choose between efficient chat models and
[36]
Meta to add new AI safeguards after report raises teen safety concerns - The Economic Times
Meta is adding new teenager safeguards to its artificial intelligence products by training systems to avoid flirty conversations and discussions of self-harm or suicide with minors, and by temporarily limiting their access to certain AI characters. A Reuters exclusive report earlier in August
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ChatGPT is getting parental controls, announces OpenAI. What is it? What will be usage?
ChatGPT is set to get a new feature - parental controls, said the chatbot creator OpenAI. Parents will also receive notifications from ChatGPT. American artificial intelligence firm OpenAI said Tuesday it would add parental controls to its chatbot ChatGPT, a week after an American couple said the
[38]
OpenAI To Roll Out Parental Controls For ChatGPT
Parents will soon be able to manage how their children interact with ChatGPT. OpenAI, the company responsible for the creation of the artificial intelligence program, announced in a blog post on Tuesday that parental controls will be available "within the next month." The feature will allow
[39]
OpenAI to roll out parental controls for ChatGPT after safety concerns
Image: Getty Images OpenAI said it will introduce parental controls for its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, aiming to enhance protections for teenage users amid growing scrutiny over its handling of vulnerable individuals. OpenAI's blog post stated the new tools are expected to launch "within the next
[40]
OpenAI Adds Teen Safety Features to ChatGPT
OpenAI will soon roll out new features within its ChatGPT AI model that give parents more control over their children's interaction with the chatbot, according to a blog post by the AI giant. The Sam Altman-led company says that within the next month, parents will be able to: Notably, experts
[41]
OpenAI promises to launch parent safety tools for ChatGPT 'within the...
ChatGPT maker OpenAI said on Tuesday will launch a new set of parental controls "within the next month" -- a belated scramble that follows a series of disturbing, headline-grabbing deaths linked to the popular chatbot. Last week, officials accused ChatGPT of allegedly encouraging the paranoid
[42]
Meta to add new AI safeguards after Reuters report raises teen safety concerns
(Reuters) -Meta is adding new teenager safeguards to its artificial intelligence products by training systems to avoid flirty conversations and discussions of self-harm or suicide with minors, and by temporarily limiting their access to certain AI characters. A Reuters exclusive report earlier in
[43]
ChatGPT to get parental controls after teen's death - VnExpress International
American artificial intelligence firm OpenAI said Tuesday it would add parental controls to its chatbot ChatGPT, a week after an American couple said the system encouraged their teenaged son to kill himself. "Within the next month, parents will be able to... link their account with their teen's
[44]
OpenAI to redirect sensitive conversations to GPT-5, add parental controls
Soon, parents will be able to link their account to their teenager's account OpenAI has announced new safety measures to make ChatGPT more supportive for people in emotional distress and safer for teenagers. The move comes after the tragic death of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who allegedly discussed
[45]
ChatGPT parental controls explained: How OpenAI is trying to reduce risk in AI chats
Parental monitoring features mark OpenAI's push for responsible and safer AI In recent years, artificial intelligence has moved from the fringes of science fiction to the center of everyday life. Millions of people now turn to chatbots like ChatGPT for advice, entertainment, study help, or just
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OpenAI introduces new safety features for ChatGPT, including parental controls and improved handling of sensitive conversations, in response to recent incidents involving vulnerable users.
OpenAI Announces New Safety Measures for ChatGPT
In response to recent incidents involving vulnerable users, OpenAI has announced a series of safety measures for its AI chatbot, ChatGPT. These changes come in the wake of a lawsuit filed by the parents of a teenager who died by suicide after extensive interactions with the AI assistant
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Source: Gulf Business
Parental Controls and Age-Appropriate Behavior
OpenAI plans to roll out parental controls within the next month. These controls will allow parents to link their accounts with their teens' ChatGPT accounts (for users aged 13 and above). Parents will be able to:
- Control how the AI model responds with age-appropriate behavior rules
- Manage which features to disable, including memory and chat history
- Receive notifications when the system detects their teen experiencing acute distress
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Improved Handling of Sensitive Conversations
OpenAI is introducing a real-time router that will automatically direct sensitive conversations to more advanced "reasoning" models like GPT-5-thinking. This change aims to provide more helpful and beneficial responses in situations where users may be experiencing mental health crises or discussing sensitive topics
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.Collaboration with Experts
To guide these safety improvements, OpenAI is working with an Expert Council on Well-Being and AI and a Global Physician Network. These collaborations aim to:
- Shape a vision for how AI can support people's well-being
- Define and measure well-being
- Set priorities and design future safeguards
- Provide medical expertise on handling specific issues like eating disorders, substance use, and adolescent mental health
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Addressing Safety Degradation in Extended Conversations
OpenAI has acknowledged that ChatGPT's safety measures can break down during lengthy conversations. This degradation reflects fundamental limitations in the AI architecture, including issues with context retention and the tendency to generate statistically likely responses rather than maintaining consistent safety guardrails
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Industry-Wide Concerns and Responses
The announcement from OpenAI comes amidst broader concerns about AI chatbots and teen safety. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has also announced changes to its AI chatbot policies, including:
- Training chatbots to avoid engaging with teens on topics like self-harm, suicide, and disordered eating
- Limiting teen access to certain AI characters that could hold inappropriate conversations
- Focusing on AI characters that promote education and creativity for teen users
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Source: ET
Regulatory and Legal Implications
The recent incidents have drawn attention from lawmakers and regulators. Senator Josh Hawley has launched a probe into OpenAI's AI policies, and a coalition of 44 state attorneys general has emphasized the importance of child safety in AI technologies
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Source: Medical Xpress
As AI chatbots become more prevalent, the industry faces increasing pressure to implement robust safety measures, particularly for vulnerable users. OpenAI's latest announcements represent a step towards addressing these concerns, but the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen as they are implemented in the coming months.
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