OpenAI published a "Teen Safety Blueprint" on 6 November 2025, outlining measures to protect teenage users of its AI systems [source]. The document describes parental controls, content filtering, and educational resources designed to address risks when minors interact with ChatGPT and other OpenAI products.

The blueprint introduces a new parental dashboard allowing guardians to review conversation summaries, set usage limits, and disable certain features for accounts linked to users under 18. OpenAI states it will expand age verification mechanisms and apply stricter content policies to accounts identified as belonging to teenagers, including blocking requests related to self-harm, eating disorders, and explicit material.

The announcement follows growing scrutiny of AI providers' duty of care toward minors. Regulators in the EU and UK have pressed platforms to demonstrate compliance with child safety standards, particularly after reports of chatbots generating harmful advice or engaging in inappropriate roleplay with young users. OpenAI does not reference specific incidents prompting the blueprint's release.

The company says the controls will roll out globally over the coming months, beginning with English-language markets. Parents must manually enable the dashboard; accounts without verified age data will not automatically receive teen-specific restrictions. OpenAI notes that determined users may circumvent age checks by misrepresenting their birthdate during signup.

Critics have questioned whether voluntary parental oversight is sufficient, given that many teenagers access ChatGPT without guardian supervision. The blueprint does not mandate age verification for all users, leaving enforcement largely dependent on self-reporting and parental initiative.