OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens only signals the chatbot maker’s acceptance of a major problem | Mint
OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens only signals the chatbot maker’s acceptance of a major problem | Mint
摘要: Opinion
OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens only signals the chatbot maker’s acceptance of a major problem
Abby McCloskey
min read
27 Aug 2026, 03:00 PM
正文
OpenAI's ChatGPT for Teens only signals the chatbot maker’s acceptance of a major problem
Abby McCloskey
min read
27 Aug 2026, 03:00 PM IST
OpenAI’s ChatGPT for Teens merely shows recognition of parental concerns.
Getty Images via AFP
ChatGPT for Teens, aimed at kids aged 13 to 17, restricts harmful content but doesn’t resolve a crisis of children using artificial intelligence (AI). Addictive technology and developing brains are a dangerous mix. Parents will have to play AI-nanny themselves.
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OpenAI has launched ChatGPT for Teens, complete with various safety features. But this implies that the main concern of kids using artificial intelligence (AI) is their access to damaging content. If only.
Don’t get me wrong. AI-assisted suicides, deepfakes and sexually explicit conversations with and for children are—to be frank—horrific.
But, as a mother, my deepest concern is what AI use does to teens’ ability to think critically and develop socially. The only way to address those worries is not to toggle with the app, but to limit kids’ exposure to it entirely.
The new version of
for Teens is targeted at kids aged 13 to 17. It includes content restrictions around sexual, violent and self-harm topics. It also promises to curb AI use for homework, guiding students towards next steps instead of simply spouting answers straight up.
This is all well and good. I’m with the 80% of American parents who support more controls on AI for kids, including parental permissions and alerts.
But when it comes to the efficacy of such protections, I’m not holding my breath. We’ve seen how hard it is to impose age controls on social media. And age verification for ChatGPT for Teens has no legal force behind it.
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