OpenAI has updated its support documentation to introduce an automated age detection system for ChatGPT. Users identified as being under 18 will now have a specialized teen experience mode enabled by default on their accounts.
This teen mode incorporates additional safety measures tailored for younger users. The system restricts access to sensitive content, including depictions of violence, gore, sexual themes, and romantic role-playing. It also filters out content promoting extreme aesthetic standards, unhealthy eating habits, or body shaming.
The age prediction system analyzes various account signals to determine a user's age group. These signals include common discussion topics, active usage hours, interaction frequency, and account age. The system may flag an account as belonging to a minor even if the user provided a birth date during registration.
Users who believe they were incorrectly flagged as minors can request a manual age verification process. OpenAI utilizes the third-party service Persona, which requires users to submit a real-time selfie or a government-issued ID. Once Persona confirms the user is at least 18 years old, the teen protection settings will be removed.
