Putting Safety First
In a company blog post, CEO Sam Altman explained that OpenAI often balances competing values: privacy, freedom, and safety. In situations where those principles collide, he said, safety for teenagers will come first.
Privacy remains important. Conversations on ChatGPT are treated as sensitive, and new security measures are designed to protect personal data from being accessed, even by staff. There are exceptions when misuse, threats to life, or wider public risks are detected.
Freedom is also respected, but mainly for adults. Users over 18 can explore sensitive creative topics or even request light flirtatious dialogue, within safe boundaries. For minors, however, the rules are stricter. Content that involves sexual themes, harmful advice, or self-harm discussions will be blocked.
Altman admitted these trade-offs won’t please everyone, but said the decisions follow guidance from experts and reflect the company’s responsibility to protect younger users.
Key Safety Tools for Teens
Age Prediction:
- A new system estimates whether a user is over or under 18.
- If uncertain, ChatGPT will default to the under-18 experience.
- Teens get tailored protections, such as blocks on explicit material and supportive handling of distress.
- Adults can verify their age to access the full version of ChatGPT.
Parental Controls:
- Parents can connect their accounts with their teen’s (minimum age 13) through an invitation.
- Linked parents can adjust chat features, oversee memory and history, and receive alerts in cases of serious distress.
- Emergency steps include contacting law enforcement if parents are unreachable.
- Features like blackout hours help limit usage, while all users will see reminders to take breaks during long sessions.
A Work in Progress
OpenAI stressed that these updates are part of an ongoing process shaped by experts, advocates, and policymakers. The company wrote: “Your voices are shaping this work in ways that will matter for hundreds of millions of people.”
The new measures underline OpenAI’s attempt to balance privacy and freedom while making ChatGPT a safer environment for teens.