Is ChatGPT Safe for Kids?
ChatGPT requires 13+, and under-18s need a parent or guardian’s permission. Our own recommendation is 13+ with supervision. Reasonable from about 13 with the parent-linked account switched on and homework rules agreed in advance. Below 13 it is against OpenAI’s own terms, and the general-purpose design means there is no meaningful topic filtering for a younger child.
Checked against OpenAI’s own terms and help documentation on 28 July 2026. Sources at the foot of this page.
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What is ChatGPT?
A general-purpose AI chatbot that answers questions, writes and edits text, explains concepts, and generates images. It is not built for children specifically.
What do under-18s actually get on ChatGPT?
Since late 2025 OpenAI has offered a supervised teen mode for 13–17 year olds, letting a parent link their own account to the teen’s and adjust settings. In 2026 OpenAI added automated age prediction, which applies teen content restrictions even to accounts that claimed to be adults.
What parental controls does ChatGPT have?
Parental controls exist via account linking: a parent can connect their account to a teen’s and configure age-appropriate settings.
At a glance
| Vendor minimum age | 13+, and under-18s need a parent or guardian’s permission |
|---|---|
| Our recommendation | 13+ with supervision |
| Cost | Free tier available; paid tiers add capability |
| Data handling | Conversations may be retained and used to improve the service depending on account type and settings. Treat anything typed in as potentially stored. |
| Use in school | Widely used in schools, but policy varies enormously by district — check yours before a child uses it for assessed work. |
What should parents know?
- •Age enforcement is largely self-reported — a child can type any birth date, so the 13+ floor is not a technical barrier.
- •It states things confidently that are wrong. For schoolwork this is the main risk, not inappropriate content.
- •Link the parent account before your child starts, not after a problem appears.
- •Agree what counts as help versus what counts as submitting its work as their own.