OpenAI Announces Parental Controls as Teen Safety Concerns Mount

In September 2025 OpenAI announced parental controls for ChatGPT. This page explains what the controls do, what they do not do, and the events around the announcement.

What was announced

On September 16, 2025, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company would put teen safety ahead of privacy and freedom for under-18 users. NBC News reported that parental controls would arrive by the end of the month. Parents would be able to shape how ChatGPT responds to their teen and adjust memory and “blackout hours.” OpenAI also said that if a teen who seemed to be under 18 expressed suicidal thoughts, it would try to reach the parents. If it could not, it would contact authorities when there was imminent risk.

The announcement came hours before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on chatbot harms. It also followed the lawsuit filed in August 2025 by the parents of a 16-year-old who died by suicide, which alleges ChatGPT acted as a “suicide coach.” OpenAI disputes those claims. See our page on OpenAI’s court response.

What the controls do

OpenAI’s help center describes the controls as it presented them when we reviewed it. The text can change, so check the live page.

• A parent and a teen link their accounts. Either one can unlink, and the parent is told if the teen does.
• Parents can set quiet hours when the teen cannot use ChatGPT.
• Parents can limit some features, such as memory.
• Parents can get a safety notification if reviewers see signs of a serious safety concern.
• Parents cannot read the teen’s conversations.

OpenAI says these notifications are not a substitute for professional care or emergency services.

What the controls cannot do

• They only work when a teen has an account and links it. A teen can use ChatGPT without an account or on another device.
• They cannot tell you how your teen is doing. A quiet notification inbox does not mean things are fine.
• They cannot replace a conversation. Teens who feel watched without being asked may hide use instead of stopping it.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry advises families that general AI chatbots are not safe tools for children and recommends talking to a doctor about mood or anxiety concerns.

Questions that remain

OpenAI has said age prediction is hard and sometimes wrong. We have not found independent testing of how well the teen protections work. Advocates welcomed the controls as a first step, and some pointed out that they came after reports of harm.

In a crisis, reach 988 by call or text, or message Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. SAMHSA’s helpline is 1-800-662-4357. For an emergency happening now, 911 is the number to call.

Can I read my teen’s ChatGPT chats with parental controls?

No. According to OpenAI’s help center, linked parents cannot see conversations. They can adjust some settings and may receive a safety notification.

What age can use ChatGPT with parental controls?

The teen experience is meant for ages 13 to 17, according to NBC’s report of the announcement. NBC also noted that, at the time, nothing stopped younger children from using ChatGPT.

This page is for education only. It is not legal advice or medical advice.