OPENAI TO INTRODUCE PARENTAL CONTROLS FOR CHATGPT AMID GROWING YOUTH USAGE AND SAFETY CONCERNS

OpenAl is preparing to roll out parental controls for ChatGPT, responding to calls from parents, educators, and regulators to provide more guardrails as the AI assistant becomes increasingly popular with children and teenagers.

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The update, expected later this year, will mark the company’s first structured attempt to give families more oversight of how younger users interact with the tool.

WHY PARENTAL CONTROLS NOW

Since its launch, ChatGPT has grown into one of the fastest-adopted apps in history, with over 180 million users worldwide. While OpenAl officially sets the minimum age requirement at 13, with parental consent required for those under 18, studies suggest many younger children are already experimenting with the chatbot.

That has raised concerns over exposure to inappropriate content, misinformation, or unhealthy usage patterns. Regulators in Europe have pressed Al firms to build stronger safeguards for minors, while U.S. lawmakers have floated proposals requiring more transparency and parental oversight in digital services used by children.

The addition of parental controls is OpenAl’s way of addressing these concerns head-on, while also setting a precedent for how generative Al platforms balance accessibility with responsibility.

WHAT THE CONTROLS WILL INCLUDE

OpenAl has not yet published full details, but early reports suggest the parental controls will include options to:

Restrict content categories: Parents will be able to filter out sensitive topics, including violence, explicit language, or mature themes.