ChatGPT Safety Guide for Parents
A practical guide for parents on ChatGPT — what it is, how children use it, and how to set appropriate boundaries around AI chatbot use.
Official age
13+
We recommend
14+
Developer
OpenAI
Risks
3
Overview
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI and one of the most widely used AI tools in the world. It can hold extended conversations, answer questions, write essays, summarise text, generate code, and assist with creative projects. Because it is accessible via a free web browser as well as dedicated apps, children often discover and use it without parental knowledge. Its ability to produce fluent, plausible-sounding text makes it both a powerful study tool and a potential source of misinformation.
How children use it
Children most commonly use ChatGPT to get homework help, draft essays, or research topics. Many also use it for creative writing, role-play scenarios, or simply out of curiosity. Older teenagers may use it for coding assistance or to explore ideas they feel uncomfortable raising with adults. Some children share personal details during conversations without considering that their input may be used to improve the model.
Main risks
Recommended privacy settings
Memory / Chat History
Location: Settings → Personalisation → Memory / Improve the model for everyone
Set to: Disabled
By default, ChatGPT can save chat history and use it to train future models. Turning this off limits data retention and reduces the chance that personal details shared in conversations are stored long-term.
Shared Links
Location: Conversation → Share → Manage shared links
Set to: Review regularly
ChatGPT allows conversations to be shared via a public link. Discuss with your child that shared chats are accessible to anyone with the link and should never contain personal information.
Data Controls
Location: Settings → Data Controls
Set to: Review and restrict as appropriate
OpenAI provides options to delete conversation history and opt out of model training. Review these controls and ensure your child understands their data does not simply disappear after a chat ends.
Parent actions
Review your child's recent ChatGPT conversations together and discuss what kinds of questions are appropriate to ask an AI
Time: 20 minutes
Explain AI hallucinations — that ChatGPT can state incorrect information confidently — and the importance of checking facts from reliable sources
Time: 15 minutes
Agree clear boundaries on when ChatGPT use is acceptable (e.g. for brainstorming but not for submitting as original work) and discuss academic integrity
Time: 15 minutes