OpenAI is adding a new safeguard for families using ChatGPT. Parents and guardians who have linked accounts will now be notified if their teen is removed from the service for violating policies tied to violent threats or acts of violence.
The company introduced parental controls last year, giving adults the ability to connect their accounts to a teenager’s profile, set hours when ChatGPT cannot be used, and limit sensitive content. Those controls already included alerts if ChatGPT detected signs that a young user might be thinking about self-harm. The latest update broadens that system to cover situations in which the company believes a teen may pose a risk to others.
In the example OpenAI shared, a parent receives an “important update” about the teen’s account and can open a longer explanation showing that the account was deactivated for violating usage rules related to acts of violence. OpenAI said it developed the feature with Moonshot, an organization focused on monitoring and countering online violence. Moonshot founder Vidhya Ramalingam said notifying a parent when a serious concern appears is an important first step that can give families a chance to intervene early and seek help.
The move comes after OpenAI said it would strengthen safety measures following reports that the suspect in the 2025 Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia mass shooting had used ChatGPT. Canadian authorities later questioned the company after reports said it did not notify officials when it banned the suspect’s account, and chief executive Sam Altman apologized for that lapse. Alongside the new alert system, OpenAI is also allowing parents to turn on Study Mode from parental controls, which prompts ChatGPT to provide hints before giving direct answers. Teen users who spend long periods in ChatGPT will also see more frequent reminders to take breaks.
Source: engadget.com
