OpenAI to Add Parental Controls on ChatGPT After Teen Suicide Lawsuit

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has said that it will add parental control to its chatbot within the next month.

The decision was made after the lawsuit alleging that ChatGPT assisted a 16-year-old boy in exploring potential suicide methods.

According to a company blog, parents will be able to link their teen’s account (minimum age of 13) through a simple email invitation and control how ChatGPT interacts with them using age-appropriate behaviour rules, which are enabled by default.

Parents can also manage features such as memory and chat history and receive notifications if the system detects their teen is in a moment of acute distress, guided by expert input to ensure safety and trust.

OpenAI emphasised that this is only the first step and will continue refining parental controls over the coming months to make ChatGPT as safe and helpful as possible for young users.