OpenAI Announces New Safeguards for Under‑18 ChatGPT Users
Key Points
- ChatGPT will no longer engage in flirtatious conversations with users under 18.
- New safeguards block sexual content and add strict controls around self‑harm topics.
- If a minor discusses suicidal scenarios, the system may contact parents or authorities.
- OpenAI faces a wrongful‑death lawsuit from the parents of teen Adam Raine.
- A Senate hearing on AI chatbot harms will include testimony from Raine’s father.
- Reuters uncovered internal documents that encouraged sexual talk with minors.
- OpenAI is building age‑verification tools and will default to restrictive rules when uncertain.
- Parents can link teen accounts, set blackout hours, and receive distress alerts.
- OpenAI reaffirms commitment to adult privacy while prioritizing minor safety.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed a set of new policies aimed at protecting users under the age of 18. The changes prohibit flirtatious conversations with minors, tighten guardrails around discussions of self‑harm, and introduce mechanisms to alert parents or authorities if a teen appears suicidal. The move comes amid a wrongful‑death lawsuit linked to a teen’s suicide after interacting with ChatGPT, a similar suit against Character.AI, and a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the harms of AI chatbots. OpenAI also outlined plans for age‑verification tools and parental controls while reaffirming its commitment to adult privacy.
Policy Overhaul for Under‑18 Users
OpenAI announced that ChatGPT will no longer engage in flirtatious talk with users identified as under 18. New guardrails specifically address sexual topics and self‑harm, directing the system to cease such conversations and, in severe cases, attempt to contact the user’s parents or law‑enforcement agencies.
Legal and Regulatory Context
The policy shift arrives as OpenAI faces a wrongful‑death lawsuit from the parents of Adam Raine, who died by suicide after months of interactions with the chatbot. A parallel lawsuit targets Character.AI. Additionally, a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled “Examining the Harm of AI Chatbots,” called by Sen. Josh Hawley, will feature Raine’s father and focus on findings from a Reuters investigation that highlighted internal policy documents encouraging sexual conversations with minors. Following the report, Meta updated its own chatbot policies.
Implementation and Parental Controls
OpenAI is developing a long‑term system to assess whether a user is over or under 18, defaulting to the stricter rules when age is ambiguous. Parents can link a teen’s account to a parent account, set “blackout hours” when the chatbot is unavailable, and receive alerts if the system believes the teen is in distress.
Balancing Safety and Privacy
While emphasizing heightened safety for minors, OpenAI reiterated its commitment to preserving adult user privacy and freedom of interaction. Altman acknowledged the inherent tension between protecting vulnerable users and maintaining privacy for adults.
Support Resources
The announcement included references to suicide‑prevention hotlines and crisis text lines for users in need of immediate help.