In response, OpenAI announced the activation of safeguards designed to better protect minors, including clearer separation between youth and adult users. Under the new system, ChatGPT estimates a user’s age based on several factors, including how long the account has been active, usage times, patterns of interaction and the age provided by the user during registration. Accounts deemed suspicious or lacking sufficient clarity will be classified as belonging to users under 18 by default. Users who are adults but incorrectly flagged must verify their age by scanning their face or submitting official identification for full review. Youth accounts will be subject to significantly stricter content controls.

Source: Bangkok Post January 25, 2026 09:16 UTC