OpenAI has announced that it will roll out parental controls for ChatGPT within the next month, aimed at providing families with better oversight of teenage use. These features allow parents to link their own account with that of their teen and set age-appropriate usage restrictions—including disabling memory and chat history. The system also includes alerts for parents if ChatGPT detects that a teen user may be experiencing “acute distress.”
What the Controls Include
- Account Linking: Parents can connect to their teen’s account via an email invitation.
- Feature Management: Parents can disable sensitive functions like memory and chat history.
- Behavior Settings: Age-appropriate behavior rules are enabled by default to ensure a safer experience.
- Distress Alerts: Parents receive notifications if the AI identifies signs of emotional distress in the teen’s chat. This system will be guided by mental health experts.
- Routing to Reasoning Models: In sensitive cases, conversations will be handled by higher-capacity “reasoning models” (like GPT-5-thinking) better equipped to respond helpfully and safely.
Why This Move Matters
The announcement comes amid legal and public pressure following several tragic incidents. One such case involves a lawsuit filed by the family of a 16-year-old teen, who allegedly received harmful responses from ChatGPT. Critics argue that these new controls, while necessary, are incremental compared to the urgency of the issues raised.
What Experts Say
Mental health professionals and policy researchers recognize the significance of this update—but caution that parental controls alone are not enough. They stress the need for independent safety benchmarks, enforceable standards, and proactive design measures rather than reactive fixes.
