Parent safety guide · Sources checked November 2, 2026
Is ChatGPT safe for kids? Start with age rules and adult involvement.
ChatGPT is not intended for children under 13. Users must be at least 13 or the higher local minimum age, and those under 18 need parent or guardian permission. For education involving an under-13 child, an adult must conduct the actual interaction. Linked teen parental controls can help manage selected settings, but they cannot read the teen’s conversations or guarantee suitable answers.
Who may operate ChatGPT?
OpenAI’s Terms of Use set a minimum of 13, or a higher minimum age required in your country. Anyone under 18 needs parent or guardian permission. A parent’s presence does not make an ineligible child eligible for their own account.
For educational use involving children under 13, OpenAI says an adult must conduct the actual interaction. Keep the adult at the keyboard and review what to show the child. Do not share account credentials or hand over an adult account; OpenAI’s terms prohibit account sharing.
How to link an eligible teen’s account
In the parent’s ChatGPT account, open Settings → Parental controls → Add family member. Invite the teen by phone number or email. The teen must accept the invitation before the accounts are linked. Then select the teen in Parental controls to review the available settings together.
Linked teen parental controls include selected feature settings and quiet hours. These controls cannot read the teen’s conversations, provide chat-history access or offer real-time monitoring. Either the parent or teen can unlink the accounts. Agree on a separate family check-in rather than assuming the parent can inspect every chat.
What still needs an adult’s judgment?
OpenAI warns that outputs may be inaccurate or inappropriate for some audiences and ages. Check important claims against a reliable source. Avoid entering names, school details, location, private family information or a child’s image or voice when the task does not require them.
Our editorial suggestion is to choose a narrow task, stay involved and stop if a conversation becomes upsetting or confusing. This is a practical proposal, not evidence that a setting or supervision removes every risk.
A suggested adult-run science activity
Try a neutral question such as: “Explain why a shadow changes length during the day, using simple language. List one claim we should check.” The adult types the question and reads the response first. Do not include the child’s name, age, school or location.
Check the explanation against a science book or another reliable educational source. Then step away from the screen and compare a toy’s shadow under a lamp at two angles. Ask what the explanation got right and what needed correcting. This activity is a suggestion, not a reported family test or a promised learning result.
Official sources and limits
Source-based update: November 2, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo). We checked the provider guidance below; this page does not claim an external expert review, child test or safety certification.
Different ages mean different roles
This table describes ChatGPT eligibility and who operates the service. It does not rank products by safety.
Under 13 | Eligible ages 13–17 | Adults | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account eligibility | Not intended for independent child use | At least 13 or higher local minimum; parent/guardian permission | Must meet applicable terms and local requirements |
| Who operates? | Adult conducts the actual educational interaction | Eligible teen uses their own account | Adult uses their own account; no account lending |
| Controls and limits | Teen linking does not authorize an underage account | Linked controls require accepted invitation; no chat-history access | Review settings and outputs; controls do not guarantee accuracy |
| Family next step | Choose an adult-run activity or an offline task | Agree on settings and separate check-ins | Check answers before reusing or showing them |
OpenAI sources checked November 2, 2026 (Asia/Tokyo). Requirements, settings and availability can change; follow the current official guidance.
Plan the next activity before opening a chat
Start with the free parent resources. Choose one question, decide who operates the tool, and agree on what information stays private.
Open free parent resourcesWhen this guide helps
Use the rules and limits to decide the next step for your household.
Use this guide to…
- Check whether a child is eligible for an account
- Set up linked controls with an eligible teen
- Plan an adult-operated educational task for an under-13 child
This guide cannot…
- Authorize an account that fails the minimum-age rule
- Give a parent access to a teen’s chat history
- Guarantee that an AI answer is correct or suitable
Frequently asked questions
Can a 7-year-old use ChatGPT independently?+
Can I lend my account to a child?+
Can linked parents read a teen’s chats?+
Do parental controls make ChatGPT safe for every child?+
What should we try before buying anything?+
Useful next steps
- Activities for ages 6–12 — Choose a concrete task together.
- Build together in Blocks — Try a manual building activity.