[DigitalToday reporter Yoonseo Lee] OpenAI has introduced a feature in ChatGPT that notifies linked parent and guardian accounts if a teen user account is removed for violating policies related to online violence.

According to IT outlet Engadget on July 18 local time, the measure expands existing youth protection features, with a focus on helping families more quickly identify situations in which a child could pose a risk to themselves or others.

OpenAI introduced parental controls last year, allowing parents to link their account to a teenage child's account. This enabled parents to set available ChatGPT usage time or reduce exposure to sensitive content, and they could also receive alerts if the chatbot detected potential self-harm by the child. This time, OpenAI expanded notifications to include cases in which an account is deactivated for violating policies related to violent behavior.

In an example presented by OpenAI, parents receive an "important update" alert related to the child's account. When they open the detailed view, they can see a notice that the child's account was deactivated for violating violence-related usage policies.

The feature was developed with Moonshot, which specialises in monitoring and responding to online violence. Moonshot founder Vidya Ramalingam (비드야 라말링감) explained that the change allows parents to check serious concerns in more detail, widening opportunities for families to intervene early and seek help. She also said this approach is one of several measures needed to help teens use ChatGPT more safely.

The company also added a feature that lets users turn on Study Mode directly from the parental control menu along with the new notification feature. In Study Mode, ChatGPT provides hints first rather than answering questions immediately to help students learn.

It also made break reminders appear more often for teen users who use ChatGPT for long periods. OpenAI said it aims to guide teen users toward healthier technology-use habits.

Parental controls are expanding beyond managing usage time to include safety response tools. By not only notifying users that an account has been suspended but also providing the reason of a violence-related policy violation, the trend toward addressing teen protection and platform responsibility together has become clearer.

The move is drawing attention because ChatGPT's teen safety features are expanding from detecting self-harm risks to alerts about risks of violence toward others. Another key change is strengthening teen-use management by bundling parental controls, Study Mode and break reminders.