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ChatGPT

Explained for parents by The Digital Childhood.

What it means

The best known AI chatbot, made by OpenAI. Kids type or talk to it and it answers questions, writes, explains homework and makes pictures. It's 13 and up with a parent's okay, and OpenAI has a teen version with parent controls, like quiet hours and turning off voice, memory and making pictures. Just because it's a teen account doesn't mean it can't have the same risks as a regular one, though. It's a lot like Instagram's teen accounts, where kids can still see things and do things they're not supposed to, so I'd proceed with caution and not count on the teen settings to catch everything.

How to bring it up with your kid

"What do you use ChatGPT for? Show me the last thing you asked it." If they're using it, link your account to theirs so the teen settings are on, and keep asking what they're using it for, because those settings won't catch everything.

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