OpenAI to notify parents if their teen gets banned from ChatGPT for violence
OpenAI will now alert parents when their teenage child's ChatGPT account is deactivated for violating policies on violent threats or acts.
OpenAI has introduced a new feature that notifies parents if their teen's ChatGPT account is banned for violating policies on violent threats or acts of violence. This expands on existing parental controls launched last year, which allowed parents to link accounts, set usage schedules, reduce sensitive content, and receive alerts about potential self-harm. Now, notifications also cover when a child may pose a danger to others.
In an example provided by the company, parents receive an alert about an "important update" regarding their child's account. Clicking "Learn More" reveals a message stating the account was deactivated for violating "Acts of Violence" policies.
Collaboration with experts
OpenAI partnered with Moonshot, a firm specializing in monitoring and countering online violence, to develop this feature. Moonshot founder Vidhya Ramalingam noted that notifying parents about serious concerns is a critical step for early intervention and seeking help. She emphasized that this access is one of many measures needed to keep young people safer on ChatGPT.
Context and additional improvements
OpenAI vowed to strengthen safety protocols after it was discovered that the 2025 Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia mass shooting suspect used ChatGPT. Canadian authorities summoned the company after reports emerged that OpenAI did not notify authorities when it banned the shooter's account. CEO Sam Altman apologized for the oversight.
Alongside the new notification, OpenAI also introduced the ability to enable Study Mode directly from parental controls. This mode allows ChatGPT to give hints before answering questions to aid learning. Additionally, the chatbot will now show teen users who spend extended time on ChatGPT more frequent break reminders to promote healthier tech habits.
