OpenAI's recent launch of a teen-focused iteration of ChatGPT has ignited a debate within the child safety community, primarily due to its incorporation of age recognition technology that imposes certain functional limitations. Child safety experts have raised concerns, highlighting that the safety protocols lack comprehensive validation. They argue that the automatic age recognition system is inherently flawed, the parent-linked account setup undermines protective measures, the dependability of the content moderation model is uncertain, and crucial data—such as system accuracy metrics—remain undisclosed. Experts emphasize the need for protective features to be activated by default and to integrate educational components. At present, OpenAI has not addressed calls for the public disclosure of system testing data, and the challenge of harmonizing technological advancement with ethical obligations has emerged as a key issue garnering industry-wide attention.
