Child safety and AI companions
Risks of children's and teenagers' AI use, AI companions, age verification, lawsuits and protective measures.
Viewpoint
November 2026 · 4
Parents sue Google, saying 13-year-old daughter used Gemini to plan suicideschool leaderSchools need to clarify what AI access students have on school devices and who can see what they use.parentAI use on a school device may be invisible to parents, so it is worth asking about.teacherTeachers should report it if a student's AI use shows a worrying pattern.education policymakerThe lawsuit raises the question of liability for school Chromebooks and AI access.edtech companyFor school AI products, the legal stakes of child-safety filtering and liability are rising.AI teddy bear for three-year-olds made unprompted remark about killing in BBC testparentBefore buying a talking AI toy, test what it says to a child and supervise its use.edtech companyFor AI toys aimed at young children, content filtering and context understanding have become a serious expectation.education policymakerThe absence of child-safety rules for such toys has come to the fore.Apple makes it harder for children to find dating and AI companion appsparentRestrictions on Apple devices affect how children discover apps, so it is worth reviewing the settings.edtech companyAI companion apps must reckon with Apple's App Store restrictions.Meta extends parent alerts to Facebook when teens repeatedly search for self-harm contentparentIt is worth deciding in advance how to set up parental alerts and how to respond to warnings.studentTeenagers' searches may trigger a parental alert.
October 2026 · 25
ChatGPT age estimation and stricter content limits for teenagersparentAge estimation can be wrong, and the system may ask for identification.studentTeenagers' accounts are subject to stricter content limits.Australian investigation: chatbot suggested suicide method despite child modeparentChild mode does not guarantee that an app stays safe in a crisis.school leaderSchool recommendations should not rely solely on apps' child modes.edtech companyProtections in modes for minors should also withstand independent testing.Character.AI sale: judge and 32 states expect child-safety guaranteesparentCharacter.AI's future and its child-safety guarantees remain open questions.edtech companyIn acquisitions of AI companion platforms, child-safety and privacy terms have become a matter of negotiation.Cybernews and UNESCO: AI deepfake abuse targets girls in schoolsschool leaderSchools need a procedure for deepfake cases worked out in advance.parentIt is worth talking with children about deepfake abuse.education policymakerUNESCO's seven-point recommendation can serve as a starting point for regulation.Texas sues OpenAI and Sam Altman over ChatGPT's safety for childrenparentThe state lawsuit puts ChatGPT's risks to children at the centre.education policymakerThe state action shows that child safety has become a legal issue.Report says ChatGPT teen mode poses 'unacceptable risk' to youth safety, gets lowest safety ratingparentTeen mode should not be treated as full protection; parents still need to monitor their children's use.school leaderSchool recommendations should not rely solely on the vendor's teen mode.edtech companyAI features aimed at minors are also rated by independent safety assessments.School bomb threats aim to cause disruption; AI may make the threat worseschool leaderThe alert and evacuation protocol, and the communication on handling threats, must be updated.teacherBe prepared to act quickly and calmly in the event of a bomb threat.parentUse a verified channel to get information about alerts.Eight US states sue OpenAI over alleged ChatGPT risks to childrenparentCheck that parental controls are switched on for your child's ChatGPT account, and talk through the risks of dangerous advice with them.education policymakerThe suits may set a precedent for chatbots' obligations toward minors; take this into account in your own regulatory planning.edtech companyExpect stricter age verification and safeguards for products aimed at minors.Teen-safety tests: ChatGPT parent alerts triggered in 5% of simulated casesparentDo not rely on parent alerts as the only protection; also monitor conversations and your child's usage habits separately.school leaderWhen choosing tools approved for teenagers, also take independent safety test results into account.edtech companyFor products aimed at minors, safeguards should also be verified in external, standardised tests.Teens can access 'nudify' apps despite Apple and Google parental controls, report findsparentBuilt-in parental settings are not enough; check which apps are actually accessible, and talk with your child too.school leaderSchools should prepare a written procedure for deepfake cases.edtech companyGaps in app-store vetting raise questions of platform responsibility.US teens turn to AI for dating advice and companionshipparentTalk openly with your child about what they use the chatbot for, rather than simply banning it.teacherDigital-skills lessons should treat the emotional risks of chatbots as a separate topic.Disney seeks Character.AI assets as states sue the company over minors' self-harmparentCharacter chatbots can create dependency and risk; it is worth knowing whether your child uses them.edtech companyLawsuits over companion chatbots signal legal risk in designing products for minors.Australia's eSafety regulator reports on children's chatbot use; teens more likely to tell AI than authorities about online sexual harmparentMake clear to your child that, in cases of online abuse, they can also turn to a real adult or the authorities.school leaderReporting channels should be designed so that pupils do not trust only the chatbot.education policymakerThe visibility of official reporting routes needs to improve.British Columbia sues OpenAI over ChatGPT guidance linked to Canadian school shootingschool leaderThe lawsuit may justify a review of school safety and AI-risk protocols.education policymakerA new legal front has opened on chatbot liability.Access to 13 million conversations exposed through children's toy robot EilikoparentBefore buying toys that use AI, find out how they handle data.edtech companyFor conversational products aimed at children, data security is a basic requirement.Experts urge caution over uploading children's photos to AI; safety of AI toys questionedparentDo not upload a child's photo to an AI tool without knowing how the data is handled, and check AI toys before buying them.Eight US states sue OpenAI over alleged harms from ChatGPTparentThe lawsuit puts ChatGPT's child-protection measures under scrutiny from the states' side, so it is worth reviewing the settings on a child's account.education policymakerThe states' independent action signals that they are filling the gap left by missing federal regulation, which calls for risk assessment in school contracts as well.edtech companyFor products that use a chatbot and also reach minors, design decisions can become a matter of legal liability.Proposed class action: OpenAI used children's data to train ChatGPT without parental consentparentCheck whether a child under 13 or a teenager uses ChatGPT, and which data-sharing settings are in force.school leaderFor AI tools recommended to students, the data-handling and consent practices for minors must be clarified in advance.edtech companyUsing children's data for model training creates litigation risk, so a documented parental-consent process is required.Character.AI files for bankruptcy as states ask court to protect children's dataparentThe fate of users' chats is uncertain, so it is worth checking what conversations a child had in the app and whether deletion of the data can be requested.education policymakerThe case shows that if an AI companion service goes bankrupt, minors' data can become an asset, which is a regulatory issue.teacherThe AI companion platform popular among students may shut down or change owners, so it is worth discussing the topic in class.South Korean lawmakers flag youth protection gaps in AI character chat servicesparentThe risks of AI character chats are concrete for teenagers, so both usage time and the content of conversations deserve attention.education policymakerAlongside providers' daily time limits, regulatory obligations must also be defined.edtech companyFor chatbots used by young people, usage limits and handling of risky conversations are expected.Kentucky sues Character.AI, alleging chatbots encouraged self-harm and starvationparentAI companion apps can also produce self-harm content, so it is worth checking how a child uses such apps.education policymakerA state-level lawsuit signals that companion chatbots are being treated as a liability issue.Common Sense Media: ChatGPT for Teens poses an 'unacceptable risk' as safeguards fall shortparentParents should not rely on parental notifications, since the test found none were sent even on suicide-related topics; a child's ChatGPT use should be followed through direct conversation.school leaderAccording to the report, the institute does not recommend use under 18, so school guidance and the question of banning or allowing it should be reconsidered.studentStudy mode and 'teen mode' do not guarantee safety; on sensitive topics, turn to a person.FBI and French authorities seize websites selling deepfake child sexual abuse materialparentChildren's photos and videos uploaded to social media can be targets of abuse.school leaderProtecting students' likenesses is also a consideration in school communications.India should put child safety first in AI education, WEF expert says as AI companions come under scrutinyeducation policymakerChild-protection requirements should be set out in advance when AI education is introduced.UK data show rise in AI-generated child sexual abuse imagesparentParents need to know about the risk and the ways to protect their children.school leaderImage-based abuse affects school incident-handling protocols.teacherTeachers cannot deal with the phenomenon on their own.
September 2026 · 27
Colorado mother warns of AI chatbot risks to teenagersparentTeens' chatbot use should be monitored and discussed with them.education policymakerExperience from social media regulation can be applied to AI regulation.Florida attorney general seeks emergency court order to bar minors from ChatGPT and restrict OpenAIstudentIf the court grants the request, minors could lose access to ChatGPT and would need to find another tool for homework.parentParents may want to check which of their children use ChatGPT and what to expect if the service introduces age verification.education policymakerThe case could set a precedent for court-ordered limits on minors' access to generative AI, so its outcome is worth following.edtech companyProducts for minors that are built on ChatGPT should factor in access and compliance risk.More children turn to AI for companionship, and research suggests it may leave them lonelierparentAsk your child whether they use a chatbot as a conversation partner and what they ask of it.teacherAlongside school-based psychological warning signs, watch for students choosing a chatbot over social relationships.school leaderSchool welfare and psychology protocols should be updated to cover the issue of AI companions.studentAn AI companion is no substitute for real relationships, and the articles say it may increase loneliness.Deepfakes at schools overwhelmingly target girls and women, Cybernews reportsschool leaderSchools need a set procedure for deepfake incidents, from reporting to support.teacherTeachers need to recognise the signs and know whom an affected student can turn to.studentA student who creates or shares a deepfake can be held responsible, and the target can ask the school for help.parentTalk with your children about how to react to fake images made of them.ChatGPT for Teens launches with parental controlsparentIf your teen uses ChatGPT, check and set up the available parental controls.studentA separate, supervisable version of ChatGPT is available for teenagers.teacherBe aware that students can use a protected teen version.Hungarian article asks where to draw the line on children's use of AIparentIt is worth setting family rules on the child's use of AI.teacherIt also needs to be made clear in the classroom what AI can and cannot be used for.AI slop is flooding children's feeds, Times of India reportsparentIt is worth reviewing and discussing the AI content in children's feeds together.teacherRecognising AI-generated content becomes a topic in media literacy teaching.Pope Leo XIV at UNESCO: protect young people from AIeducation policymakerInternational moral pressure is building for AI rules that protect children.parentThe pope's address underlines the social weight of protecting children in the digital sphere.Study: one in three teenagers now turns to AI chatbots for companionshipparentA child's social and emotional use of AI is an important topic for family conversations.teacherThe link between loneliness among students and AI companions is also relevant to form-teacher work.school leaderSchool digital wellbeing programmes should also cover AI companions.Ex-Google safety chief says AI could harm children more than social mediaeducation policymakerAn industry insider stresses the need for outside, regulatory intervention.parentChildren's use of AI should not be left to industry self-regulation.edtech companyExternal regulation is expected to tighten for products that reach children.China plans to ban 'intimate' AI companions for teenagerseducation policymakerA ban in a large market could become a reference point in the debate over AI companion regulation.edtech companyChina's regulatory direction may affect the market for companion products aimed at children.CNN: what parents can do to help children use AI wellparentParents should try AI out together with the child and show when it is worth using.teacherThe parents' guide could serve as a basis for homeroom teacher briefings.Yiwu's AI companion toys speed up expansion into global marketsparentAI companion toys are increasingly likely to reach young children too.edtech companyExports of AI toys intensify competition in the market for children's products.Seoul National University embeds anti-deepfake protection in graduation photosuniversity studentProtecting institutional photos can make the images less usable for deepfake abuse.school leaderTechnical solutions are available for protecting school yearbook and portrait photos.Az OpenAI bemutatta az Australian Youth Safety Blueprinteteducation policymakerThe industry proposal feeds into the Australian regulatory debate.EU Kids Act draft would strip companion chatbots of emotion and memory for under-18sparentThe teen version of AI companion apps may be noticeably more limited, so it is worth talking to the child about this in advance.studentPopular companion apps may lose their personal feel in teen mode.edtech companyCompanion-style AI products for under-18s will need their emotion and memory features redesigned.Character.AI age verification: what data the platform collectsparentYou need to know what data your child provides during age verification.Common Sense Media: Perplexity AI search poses unacceptable risk to kidsparentParents should reconsider whether their child uses Perplexity.teacherWhen recommending search tools to students, teachers should take Common Sense's rating into account.edtech companySearch tools that reach children need to pass a safety assessment.Experts: AI companions are becoming friends for children, who also treat AI toys as friendsparentIt is worth keeping an eye on your child's relationship with their AI toy or companion app, and talking about it.edtech companyProduct design for children has to address the risk of friendship-like attachment.Deepfakes and AI bullying in schools: Illinois law takes effect, Minnesota rule not suspendedschool leaderUnder the new law, schools need a protocol for handling deepfake incidents.teacherReporting deepfake bullying among students is a teacher's responsibility.parentAI manipulation of children's images is a risk, and legal protection is getting stronger.Cybersecurity expert lists five things parents should not share about their children onlineparentParents should limit public sharing of children's photos and data because of the risk of AI misuse.16th Media and Internet Conference: child-friendly internet needs parents, teachers and regulationparentChildren's digital safety also depends on parental awareness.teacherTeachers' digital preparedness is a key factor.Deepfakes sexualising students spread through British schoolsstudentA student can be both a victim and a perpetrator of deepfakes; a victim needs to ask for help.teacherTeachers need to be prepared to handle and report such cases.school leaderSchool leaders need to develop procedures and a victim-protection protocol.parentParents need to talk with their child about the dangers of image manipulation.Teens increasingly turn to AI chatbots for mental health support, and schools are adopting themstudentStudents often turn to AI with emotional difficulties, but it is no substitute for a professional.teacherTeachers need to recognise warning signs and know where to direct a student in distress.school leaderSchool leaders adopting a chatbot must settle data privacy, the escalation protocol and accountability.parentParents are advised to talk with their child about how they use chatbots for emotional questions.edtech companyFor mental health features, demonstrating safety and escalation mechanisms is expected.university studentAI used for emotional support can complement university counselling services, but not replace them.Hungarian experts: teens choose AI girlfriends, and the age limit for chatbot use is debatedparentExperts recommend limiting a child's solo chatbot use and talking about it together.studentFor sharing confidential problems, a chatbot is no substitute for a person.teacherTeachers should watch for withdrawn students and for signs of attachment to AI companions.school leaderThe topic can be included in school psychology and digital education programmes.Global study: a third of young people have an AI companion; minors are a large share of character chat app usersstudentAn AI companion can create emotional dependence that may crowd out real relationships.parentParents should keep an eye on their child's use of character chat apps and the time spent on them.teacherWeakening ties between students may show up in the classroom community.education policymakerAge limits and regulation for AI companions are now coming onto the agenda.edtech companyFor products reaching young users, engagement patterns and age verification may come under scrutiny.UNICEF: 20 million young people sexually abused online in a yearstudentIf a deepfake is made of you, report it and ask for help.teacherPay particular attention to signs of online harassment and AI image manipulation.school leaderDeepfakes should be covered in the school's child protection protocol.parentTalk openly with children about fake profiles and deepfakes.education policymakerThe data argue for stricter platform and child protection regulation.
August 2026 · 20
ChatGPT for Teens launches, but age verification faces hurdlesstudentAs a teenager, you may get a more restricted version built around safety.parentCheck which safeguards apply and whether they work on a shared device.teacherStudents' AI use should be assessed with the limits of the teen version in mind.education policymakerThe reliability of age verification is the key regulatory question.edtech companyThe teen version raises the safety benchmark for AI tools used in schools.xAI accused of training Grok's deepfake engine on real child abuse materialparentParents of victims may also consider legal action; understanding the lawsuit helps in deciding.education policymakerThe provenance of training data is a child-protection regulatory issue.edtech companyTransparency about training-data provenance and the handling of generated images is an increasing risk.AI chatbots as therapists and companions: who new state laws protect and what experts tell parentsparentIt is worth discussing a child's emotional conversations with a chatbot and steering them towards a professional.education policymakerState laws provide a framework, but school rules must also address protecting children.edtech companyTherapy-like or companion features carry state regulatory risk.Opinion: banning AI toys for four years will not make children saferparentWhen buying an AI toy, parents cannot count on a ban and must judge the product's safety themselves.education policymakerTargeted safety requirements could be considered instead of a ban.edtech companyThe regulatory direction for AI toys is uncertain.OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens with study features, parental controls, for ages 13–17studentStudents use ChatGPT in a separate, filtered environment that can ask guiding questions instead of giving a ready-made answer.parentParents should review the parental-control settings and discuss them with their child before the child starts using it.education policymakerAge-appropriate chatbots set a new benchmark for shaping school AI rules and procurement.edtech companyDefault safety protections and learning-focused design are likely to become the expected standard for products aimed at teenagers.Critics demand proof and further regulation of ChatGPT for Teens safetyparentParental controls do not replace conversation; given the gaps in age estimation and privacy, a child's use should still be monitored.education policymakerGiven the lack of independent evidence and the identified gaps, regulatory requirements (a safety standard, verifiability) should be spelled out.edtech companySafety claims for AI products aimed at children must be backed up in a measurable, verifiable way.Only 30% of teens say a teacher has talked to them about safe AI useteacherAI safety (deepfakes, data protection, chatbot risks) can be a classroom topic, not just a ban on cheating.school leaderAI safety should be built into the curriculum, along with a procedure for handling deepfake abuse.parentTalk about deepfakes at home too, and about what a child should do if affected.studentCreating and sharing deepfake images can have serious consequences.OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens with parental controls, learning mode and age estimationparentWith a linked account, parents can set the teen's mode, so it is worth reviewing the parental controls and knowing that the system estimates the age category from usage.studentAccounts for 13–17-year-olds have stricter content filtering and educational starter prompts; learning mode guides step by step instead of giving the solution.teacherBecause of learning mode, it is worth assessing how far it replaces homework solving and what can be built into assignments.school leaderSchool AI policies should treat the private, teen-oriented ChatGPT account separately from school-provided tools.edtech companyThe large provider's built-in learning mode and parental controls become a competitor to standalone homework-help products.Teens seek emotional support from AI companions; pediatrician warns of grooming-like behaviorparentAsk openly whether your child uses an AI companion or a chatbot for emotional support, and watch for signs of isolation.teacherAI companions can be part of school mental-health support and of conversations about AI.school leaderThe school psychology service must prepare to deal with AI dependency.studentA chatbot is no substitute for human help in a crisis.education policymakerThe issue calls for professional guidelines and a regulatory response.Another woman joins lawsuit accusing Grok of generating child sexual abuse materialparentAI image-generation misuse involving minors poses a risk to children.school leaderSchools need to develop procedures for cases of AI image manipulation involving students.education policymakerThe responsibility of generative AI providers is a child-protection issue.Illinois man faces 44 charges over AI-altered images of real childrenparentImages of children posted online can be misused with AI.school leaderRules on publishing school photos are worth reviewing.Meta uses AI to detect underage users, with hundreds of thousands of young people banned from Facebook and InstagramparentAn account a child opened with a false age can be flagged by the platform's AI analysis.studentThe risk of losing an account created with a false age is growing.education policymakerAI-based age verification raises privacy and effectiveness questions.BBC: school photos can be used for deepfake extortionschool leaderSchools should review which student photos are posted on their website and social media pages.parentWhen giving consent for photo sharing, it is worth asking about the school's practice.teacherA more cautious approach is needed when photographing and publishing school events.Survey and reports highlight AI image abuse targeting children and new lawsschool leaderSchool policy should cover AI-generated sexual content and support for victims.parentChildren should be told what to do if an AI image of them is circulating.studentCreating and sharing such an image can carry criminal consequences.UN calls for urgent action to protect children from online information riskseducation policymakerThe UN appeal can serve as a reference point for AI rules on child protection.parentChildren's online information risks are growing because of AI.Rising number of UK children report seeing explicit deepfakes of themselvesparentParents should talk with their child about what to do if they find fake content made of them.teacherTeachers must prepare to handle deepfake cases and support students.school leaderSchool leaders need to build deepfake cases into the child protection protocol.studentA student can report a fake explicit image made of them and ask for help.OpenAI works with the American Psychological Association on youth mental health and AIparentA professional collaboration has begun on the effect of chatbots on teenagers, but concrete protective steps are still to come.school leaderCounselling and school psychology practice should keep an eye on chatbot use.New Mexico judge orders Meta to build AI age detector and pay $942MparentAge checks may tighten on platforms; it is worth reviewing parental control settings.edtech companyThe court precedent on protecting minors points toward age-verification obligations.education policymakerThe case is a significant example of enforcing child-protection liability.AI companions may deepen loneliness; China bans them for teenagersparentShould watch for secrecy and for the child becoming anxious when the chatbot is unavailable.studentAn AI companion is no substitute for real relationships and is especially risky for those in a vulnerable state.education policymakerThe Chinese ban and the New York law show two different regulatory models.edtech companyProducts offering AI-companion-style features face age-verification requirements and regulatory risk.Hungarian expert on the effect of sex robots and robot relationships on childrenparentAccording to expert opinion, imagined relationships with robot companions may affect children more strongly.