KUALA LUMPUR – OpenAI has rolled out new parental controls for ChatGPT, giving parents greater oversight and management of how their teenagers interact with the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot.
The new tools, available to all ChatGPT users starting this week, allow parents to link their accounts with their teens’ accounts and customise the platform for an age-appropriate experience.
Through the parental control dashboard, parents can set quiet hours, disable voice mode, block image generation, turn off memory features, and opt out of model training.
Once an account is linked, teen users will also receive additional safety protections, including reduced exposure to harmful or sensitive content such as graphic material, viral challenges, sexual or violent role-play scenarios, and extreme beauty ideals.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny over the impact of AI platforms on younger users. Earlier this month, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched an inquiry into several social media and AI companies over potential risks posed to children and teenagers using chatbots as companions.
The agency reportedly sent letters to companies including Alphabet, Meta Platforms, Snap, Character Technologies, OpenAI and xAI, seeking information about their policies and practices.
“We’re rolling out parental controls and a new parent resource page to help families guide how ChatGPT works in their homes,” OpenAI said in its announcement.
The company added that it developed the new safeguards in consultation with experts, advocacy groups such as Common Sense Media, and policymakers including the attorneys-general of California and Delaware.
OpenAI also unveiled a new notification feature that will alert parents if the chatbot detects possible signs of self-harm in a teen’s interactions. According to the company, a trained review team will evaluate flagged situations, and in cases of acute distress, parents will be contacted via email, text message and push notifications.
“These parental controls are a good starting point for parents in managing their teen’s ChatGPT use,” said Robbie Torney, senior director of AI programmes at Common Sense Media.
“They work best when combined with ongoing conversations about responsible AI use, clear family rules about technology, and active involvement in understanding what their teen is doing online.”
It was also reported that OpenAI is working on an age-prediction system that will automatically apply age-appropriate settings to users’ accounts. Until that system is fully deployed, parental controls will remain the main tool for tailoring safeguards. – October 1, 2025