OpenAI Age Prediction and Teen Safety Protections

OpenAI has announced the development of a long-term system for age prediction to ensure ChatGPT experiences are tailored to the user's age. This initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen protections for teenagers, prioritizing safety over privacy and freedom in cases of conflict.

Age Prediction and Automated Policy Application

OpenAI is building a system to identify whether a user is over or under 18 years old. When the system identifies a user as under 18, they are automatically directed to a ChatGPT experience governed by age-appropriate policies. These policies include the blocking of graphic sexual content and, in rare cases of acute distress, the potential involvement of law enforcement to ensure user safety.

To handle uncertainty in age prediction, OpenAI will default to the under-18 experience if the system is not confident about a user's age or possesses incomplete information. Adults who are defaulted into the teen experience will be provided with methods to prove their age to unlock adult-specific capabilities.

Parental Controls for ChatGPT

Parental controls will be available by the end of September 2025. These controls allow parents to link their account with a teen's account (minimum age of 13) via an email invitation. The specific capabilities provided to parents include:

• Behavioral Guidance: Parents can help guide how ChatGPT responds to their teen based on teen-specific model behavior rules.
• Feature Management: Parents can disable specific features, such as chat history and memory.
• Safety Notifications: Parents will receive notifications when the system detects a teen is in a moment of acute distress. In rare emergencies where parents cannot be reached, OpenAI may involve law enforcement.
• Usage Limits: Parents can set blackout hours during which the teen cannot use ChatGPT.

These parental controls supplement existing features available to all users, such as in-app reminders to encourage breaks during long sessions.