AI chatbots for kids and teens: ages and parental controls
Most big AI chatbots say users must be at least 13: ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Copilot and Character.AI. Claude and Gab AI say users must be 18 or older. ChatGPT lets a parent link to a teen's account and change settings. Google Gemini can be turned on for kids under 13 through Family Link.
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What this means for your family
- Check the age rule before your child signs up. Some chatbots are 18+ only.
- ChatGPT is the only one here with a parent-linked teen account. You can set quiet hours and turn features off, but you can't read the chats.
- For kids under 13 on Android, Google Gemini can be turned on or off in Family Link.
- Many settings are not listed by the companies. Talk with your child about what they use chatbots for.
Words you'll see on this page
- AI chatbot
- An app you type or talk to, and it writes answers back.
- Teen account / linked account
- A parent connects their own account to their teen's account to manage settings.
- Family Link
- Google's free app for parents to manage a child's Google account and Android phone.
- EEA
- The European Economic Area: the European Union countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
- Training
- The company may use your chats to improve its AI. Some let you turn this off.
- Memory
- The chatbot remembers things from earlier chats.
| Chatbot | Minimum age | Teen accounts / parent controls | Content filters | Parent permission | Data and memory settings | Free version | Bottom line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT (OpenAI) | 13+, or older if your country requires it. [Source: OpenAI Terms] | Yes. A parent can link to a teen's account and set quiet hours (times it can't be used), and turn off voice, image making and more. Parents can't read the chats. Either side can unlink, and the parent gets told. [Source: OpenAI Help: parental controls] | "Reduce sensitive content" is on by default for linked teens. Parents may get a safety alert if trained reviewers see a serious self-harm risk. [Source: OpenAI Help: parental controls] | Under 18 needs a parent's permission. [Source: OpenAI Terms] | Parents can turn off chat use for training and "saved memories" for a linked teen. [Source: OpenAI Terms; OpenAI Help: parental controls] | Not listed by the company | Bottom line: The most parent controls of any chatbot here. |
| Claude (Anthropic) | 18+, or older if local law requires it. [Source: Anthropic Terms] | None. It is for adults only. [Source: Anthropic Terms] | Not listed by the company | Does not apply (18+). [Source: Anthropic Terms] | Users can turn off use of their chats for training in settings. Feedback and chats flagged for safety may still be used. [Source: Anthropic Terms] | Not listed by the company | Bottom line: Adults only. |
| Grok (xAI) | 13+, or older if your country requires it. [Source: xAI terms] | The rules say it uses safeguards for minors where the law requires. No parent-linked teen account is described. [Source: xAI terms] | The rules warn some features or prompts can produce crude language, sexual situations or violence. In Australia, a setting limits 18+ media. [Source: xAI terms] | Ages 13–17 need a parent's permission, and the parent must agree to the rules. [Source: xAI terms] | Users can choose whether their chats are used for training. Deleting can take up to 30 days. [Source: xAI terms] | Not listed by the company | Bottom line: Allowed at 13+ with permission, but no parent-linked controls are described. |
| Gab AI | 18+ (Gab's rules cover gab.ai). [Source: Gab Terms] | None. It is for adults only. [Source: Gab Terms] | Not listed by the company | Does not apply (18+). [Source: Gab Terms] | Not listed by the company | Not listed by the company | Bottom line: Adults only. |
| Google Gemini | 13+ for a regular Google account. Under 13 only with a child account a parent manages in Family Link. [Source: Gemini Help: Gems; Gemini Help: your child's Gemini] | In Family Link, a parent turns Gemini on or off for a child under 13 and gets an email the first time the child uses it. Still rolling out. Not offered for child accounts in the EEA, Switzerland or the UK. [Source: Gemini Help: your child's Gemini] | Google says it adds extra content filters for kids. [Source: Gemini Help: your child's Gemini] | A parent must turn it on for kids under 13. [Source: Gemini Help: your child's Gemini] | Saving chat history ("Keep Activity") is not available to kids under 13. [Source: Gemini Help: your child's Gemini] | Not listed by the company | Bottom line: The only one here with a parent switch for kids under 13. |
| Meta AI | Not listed by the company (we could not open Meta's U.S. AI rules page) | Not listed by the company | Not listed by the company | Not listed by the company | Not listed by the company | Not listed by the company | Bottom line: We could not check this one yet. |
| Microsoft Copilot | 13+, sometimes older depending on country. Needs a Microsoft account. [Source: Microsoft Copilot Terms] | The rules say some features may be turned off or limited for under-18s. No parent-linked controls are described. [Source: Microsoft Copilot Terms] | The rules ban making adult content, violence or gore, and hateful content. [Source: Microsoft Copilot Terms] | Not listed by the company | Privacy settings in Copilot control some uses of your chats. [Source: Microsoft Copilot Terms] | Can be used without a paid Microsoft 365 plan. The rules say it may show ads then. [Source: Microsoft Copilot Terms] | Bottom line: 13+, with some limits for teens, but no parent-linked controls described. |
| Character.AI | 13+ (16+ in the EEA and UK). [Source: Character.AI Terms] | Not listed by the company | The rules ban pornographic content and content that praises self-harm, among other things. A teen mode: Not listed by the company. [Source: Character.AI Terms] | Not listed by the company | Not listed by the company | Not listed by the company | Bottom line: 13+, but parent controls are not listed by the company. |
All facts come from each company's own rules (terms of service) or help pages.
Common questions
What is the minimum age to use ChatGPT?
OpenAI's rules say you must be at least 13 (or older if your country requires it). Anyone under 18 needs a parent's permission.
Can teens use Claude?
No. Anthropic's rules say users must be at least 18 (or older if local law requires it).
Can parents read their teen's ChatGPT chats?
No. OpenAI says parental controls do not let parents see a teen's chats or chat history. Safety alerts give limited information and no chat transcripts.
Can children under 13 use Google Gemini?
Only with a child Google account that a parent manages in Family Link (Google's free parent app). The parent turns Gemini on and gets an email when the child first uses it. It is not offered for child accounts in Europe (the EEA), Switzerland or the UK.
What is the minimum age for Character.AI?
Character.AI's rules say kids under 13 can't sign up. In Europe (the EEA) and the UK, the minimum age is 16.