Common Sense Media has labeled OpenAI’s ChatGPT for Teens as an unacceptable risk after an independent assessment. The teen-focused version, launched in August, is marketed with safety guardrails, yet the review found that the system fails to send parental alerts when required in situations that could involve self-harm or other crises, according to the report.
The assessment identified three core deficiencies. First, the platform does not generate alerts for parents even when a teen discusses self-harm. Second, it lacks appropriate assistance for users in crisis. Third, it continues to complete homework assignments, contrary to OpenAI’s stated educational goals, raising concerns about academic integrity and over-reliance on AI.
Tom Siegel, executive director of Common Sense Media’s Youth AI Safety Institute, warned that the guardrails could give parents a false sense of security. He cited a scenario in which a teen could spend an hour discussing self-harm without triggering any notification, and urged that the service remain limited to adults until independent testing validates the safeguards.
OpenAI responded by affirming its commitment to teen safety and to providing parents with meaningful tools. The company argued that Common Sense Media’s methodology may have been flawed because many tests were conducted before parental controls were fully activated, potentially skewing the results. OpenAI also emphasized that it welcomes rigorous independent evaluation but disputes the claim that its safeguards are ineffective in practice.
In its statement, OpenAI said it had verified that features such as eating-disorder notifications and a study mode were fully launched before the assessment began. The firm also disclosed that parental notification systems can require several hours to become active on newly linked accounts, and that some test accounts remained without alerts even after extended periods. This information, OpenAI maintains, does not alter its conclusion that parental alerts remain unreliable for crisis scenarios.
OpenAI noted that it shared its evaluation results with Common Sense Media in good faith prior to release, inviting improvements to the product. The company called for continued collaboration with experts to ensure that AI tools offer safe learning and creative opportunities for teenagers while giving parents confidence. It urged the organization to focus on substantive issues rather than questioning the testing methodology.