OpenAI rolled out a teen-friendly version of its chatbot in August, following months of reports that ChatGPT lacked adequate safeguards for younger users. Now, a report from the nonprofit Common Sense Media claims the model designed specifically for teens still poses an “unacceptable risk.”

The researchers are now asking OpenAI to block ChatGPT access for teen users, that is, any account that isn’t a verified adult, until it addresses the safety risks.

OpenAI found itself in legal trouble last year after a grieving California couple said that ChatGPT assisted their 16-year-old son’s suicide, including by discouraging him from notifying his parents about his suicidal ideation. After the wrongful death lawsuit was filed, OpenAI published a blog post saying that safety guardrails, such as directing people to crisis helplines and referring them to real-world resources, may “degrade” after long conversations, and vowed to strengthen ChatGPT’s handling of sensitive situations. Experts have said that minors are particularly vulnerable to mental health risks associated with addictive AI chatbot design.

OpenAI says the new model, ChatGPT for Teens, automatically applies to users aged 13 to 17 and includes built-in parental controls and guardrails that “reduce exposure to content that may be harmful or developmentally inappropriate.” The parental controls include notifying parents if potentially dangerous topics, like suicide, are brought up in conversation, and it also gives parents the ability to set quiet hours for their teen.

But the Common Sense report found that only a handful of these protections held up. For example, the chatbot did successfully refuse to engage in sexual roleplay with minors, but the report says that it wasn’t as firm across other boundaries like asking for health advice and role-playing violent scenes.

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