The Aporia · OpenAI says teens use ChatGPT for under 15 minutes a day as worries over risks grow

OpenAI reported on October 7 that teenagers use ChatGPT for less than 15 minutes per day on average, with fewer than 2% spending more than three continuous hours. The company released this data amid growing concerns about the risks AI chatbots pose to children's mental health and development. OpenAI aims to show its safety measures are effective by noting that nearly half of teen users take a break or end their session when prompted. However, a study by Common Sense Media found that ChatGPT’s safeguards often failed to alert parents promptly during discussions about sensitive topics like suicide and self-harm.

Written by AI on 2026-10-08, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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OpenAI, in its first report on ChatGPT for Teens, claims that teens use the chatbot for less than 15 minutes per day, with only about 2% spending over three hours straight. However, watchdog groups like Common Sense Media and Design It For Us criticize OpenAI’s lack of transparency and independent verification of these data points. Common Sense Media found that many safety features meant to protect teens from harmful content were easily circumvented; for example, the system often produced full homework answers when prompted to do so in study mode. These criticisms come amid growing concerns over AI's impact on children's mental health and developmental safety, paralleling issues raised by social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, which face scrutiny for their effects on young users' well-being.

Written for “Teen Chat Gpt Usage” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Teen Chat Gpt Usage

Technology · 3 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

This article reads unscored and hedges 21% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Watchdogs slam OpenAI’s claim that teens use ChatGPT less than 15 minutes per day Same event

New York Post

⚖️ Leans strongly left Hedges 2 of 27 claims Outlet record 66/100

OpenAI says teen ChatGPT use limited but research finds it an 'unacceptable risk' Same event

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Hedges 3 of 26 claims Outlet record 68/100

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Teens spend under 15 minutes a day on average on ChatGPT, while less than 2% of them interact with the chatbot for over three straight hours, OpenAI said, as technology companies face scrutiny over the risks AI chatbots pose to children.

framing: mixed · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-08

🔮 It is now looking to add a college application planning tool that would help students with requirements, deadlines and financial-aid steps, as well as new study features such as flashcards and easier quiz-making tools.

2026-10-08 · The Straits Times

OpenAI says teens use ChatGPT for under 15 minutes a day as worries over risks grow · mixed framing

OpenAI says teens use ChatGPT for under 15 minutes a day as worries over risks grow AI asserted

worries → say → risks

chatbots → spend → children

Sam Altman’s AI company released the figures in its first report on teen use on Oct 7 as rapid adoption of AI platforms raises concerns about their impact on adolescent mental health and developmental safety. asserted

adoption → release → health

Such worries have been amplified by research on social media’s harms to young users, with Meta in August agreeing to pay up to US$18 billion (S$23 billion) and limit teens’ use of Facebook and Instagram to settle claims that it designed the platforms to addict children. OpenAI said in nearly half of teen conversations where a break reminder appeared, the user either took a break or ended the chat within five minutes, aiming to show that its steps to regulate teen usage were working. The company said users with access to its dedicated teen version sent more education-related messages and used tools like learning visualizations and Study Mode. uncertain

users → amplify → visualizations

It is now looking to add a college application planning tool that would help students with requirements, deadlines and financial-aid steps, as well as new study features such as flashcards and easier quiz-making tools. asserted

that → look → flashcards

OpenAI began rolling out ChatGPT for Teens in August. asserted

OpenAI → begin → August

The mode turns on automatically based on age information or when a user is estimated to be under 18, allowing parental controls and limiting conversations on sensitive topics. asserted

user → turn → topics

But a report by non-profit Common Sense Media on Oct 7 said ChatGPT for Teens often alerted parents late or not at all when teen accounts held conversations about suicide, self-harm or eating disorders. asserted

accounts → say → suicide

The study, which is based on more than a dozen accounts created for testing, found the chatbot did not reliably suggest a crisis hotline or professional help. asserted

chatbot → base → hotline

An OpenAI spokesperson said the testing does not “accurately reflect” how ChatGPT’s teen safeguards work. asserted

safeguards → say → ?

Citing security and scale as reasons, the company said it may take hours for parent and teen accounts to link and for safety alerts to be active. uncertain

alerts → cite → hours

“The bulk of their testing may have begun and concluded before activation of parental controls was complete,” the spokesperson said. uncertain

spokesperson → begin → controls

Common Sense Media said some of its test accounts were linked for long enough and some were not, but none of them produced timely alerts. asserted

none → say → alerts

Notifications only came through for accounts with weeks of sensitive-topic history, it said. asserted

it → come → history

OpenAI says teens use ChatGPT for under 15 minutes a day as worries over risks grow

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