Eight US states sue OpenAI, saying ChatGPT is unsafe for children
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Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana separately sued OpenAI, accusing the company of putting profit ahead of safety and violating state consumer protection laws. The lawsuits allege that ChatGPT can harm vulnerable users by degrading critical thinking, encouraging paranoias and delusions, offering dangerous medical advice, and promoting unhealthy behaviors and relationships. The states also accuse OpenAI of collecting data from minors, failing to adequately keep children from using the chatbot, and not warning consumers about its risks; some complaints cite lawsuits from families alleging that the chatbot contributed to deaths.
The states are seeking civil penalties, an end to misleading statements about ChatGPT’s safety, and, in some cases, the deletion of unlawfully collected personal data. In a statement to The Verge, OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said ChatGPT has age-specific protections, parental controls, break reminders, and age-appropriate model protections.
Why it matters · editorial interpretation
The lawsuits put the sufficiency of protections for minors, risk warnings, and children’s data collection into question—areas OpenAI says it addresses with specific controls. If they proceed, the states’ demands could also pressure changes in the company’s practices and in how consumers are informed.
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