• OpenAI launches parental controls for ChatGPT to enhance teen safety.
• Parents can link accounts to manage settings and limit exposure to sensitive content.
• The initiative follows a lawsuit after a teen allegedly received harmful advice from the chatbot.
• New features include quiet hours, voice mode disabling, and content restrictions.
• Parental notifications will alert caregivers if a teen shows signs of potential self-harm.

OpenAI has rolled out new parental controls for ChatGPT to provide enhanced safety measures for teenage users after a wrongful death lawsuit prompted scrutiny over the AI’s impact on young users. The controls allow parents to link accounts with their teens and adjust settings to create a safer online environment, as well as to reduce exposure to sensitive content, including graphic violence and risky viral challenges. This step aims to help protect teens (ages 13-17) from potential harm while interacting with the AI, according to Reuters, India Times, and Los Angeles Times.

The parental controls will grant parents the ability to set specific "quiet hours" during which teens cannot use ChatGPT, disable voice interaction features, and limit the types of content the AI can provide. This includes the prevention of sexual, romantic, or violent role-play scenarios, as well as extreme beauty ideals. OpenAI emphasized that these measures are designed to maintain an age-appropriate experience for teenagers, according to CBS News and AA.

Furthermore, OpenAI’s new system includes a notification feature that alerts parents if their children exhibit potential self-harming behaviors while using ChatGPT. If certain risk factors are detected, a trained review team will evaluate the situation and, if necessary, inform parents via email or text message. This measure aims to provide another layer of protection for teens using the AI service, as noted by multiple reports, including India Times and Los Angeles Times.

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, has stated that the company prioritizes the safety of its young users over privacy concerns, pushing for stricter guidelines for teens engaged with their AI products. As the regulatory landscape around AI use for minors continues to evolve, OpenAI's efforts reflect a response to calls for accountability and proactive measures in safeguarding youth interactions with AI technology, according to Reuters and CBS News.