OpenAI just added something to ChatGPT that's been missing since day one

Here is how it works: a parent or guardian sends an invite to their teen, who can then accept and link accounts. From there, the parent gets a simple control panel in their own account to manage the teen’s ChatGPT experience. If the teen decides to unlink, parents get notified.

Once linked, teens automatically get extra protections, like less graphic content, restricted roleplay, fewer extreme beauty ideals and limits on viral challenge prompts – all meant to keep the experience safer and age-appropriate.

Parents also get fine-grained controls, including the ability to:

• Set quiet hours, blocking ChatGPT use at certain times
• Turn off voice mode
• Disable memory, so ChatGPT doesn’t retain past conversations
• Block image generation
• Opt out of model training

On top of that, OpenAI says ChatGPT now has protections to flag possible signs of self-harm. If its systems detect concerning activity, a small trained team reviews the case and, in severe situations, parents may be alerted by email, text, or push notification (unless they’ve opted out).

Why this matters more than ever

These updates are a meaningful step in making AI safer, especially for teens who are growing up with these tools as part of everyday life. That’s probably part of why the trust is so high, too – they don’t remember a world without it. The rollout also follows a lawsuit from parents of a teen who died by suicide after allegedly being coached by the AI chatbot on methods of self-harm.

Regulators in the US are also turning up the heat. Just last month, Meta faced backlash after reports revealed its AI rules allowed inappropriate “flirty” conversations with minors. It’s clear that if AI tools are going to be accessible to everyone, stronger protections must come with them.

The bigger picture

As important as this move is, it is just one piece of the puzzle. Guardrails help, but they don’t replace education – both for parents and kids. AI can be incredibly useful, but it also comes with risks, and knowing not to blindly trust everything it says is critical. The line between real and fake gets blurrier every day, so teaching users to question and verify information is just as important as technical safeguards.

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