Topic: parental controls
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New Discord safety feature gives parents control over teen contacts
Discord's Family Center now allows parents to control who can send direct messages to their teens, choosing between friends or shared server members, while keeping message content private. Teens can automatically notify parents when they report another user for misconduct, and both parties can vi...
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OpenAI's New Parental Controls: What You Need to Know
OpenAI has launched parental controls for ChatGPT, allowing parents to manage teen accounts by limiting sensitive content, disabling features like memory and voice mode, and adjusting privacy settings. Parents can link their account to their teen's but cannot read their conversation history, exce...
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Control ChatGPT for Teens: New Parental Guide
OpenAI has introduced parental controls for ChatGPT, allowing parents to manage features, set time limits, and customize safety settings to create a safer environment for teenagers. Key settings include reducing sensitive content exposure, disabling model training and memory features, and enablin...
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OpenAI Adds Parental Controls for Teen ChatGPT Users
OpenAI has launched parental controls for ChatGPT, enabling parents to receive alerts if teens discuss self-harm or suicide, and law enforcement may be notified in urgent cases. Enhanced content protections are automatically applied to teen accounts, restricting exposure to graphic material, harm...
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OpenAI Adds Parental Controls to ChatGPT Next Month
OpenAI is introducing new parental controls next month, allowing parents to set boundaries and customize ChatGPT's behavior for their teenagers. Parents can link their accounts to their teens' via email, enabling features like age-appropriate default rules and the ability to disable memory or cha...
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Instagram to Add AI-Powered Parental Controls in 2026
Instagram will launch AI-powered parental controls in early 2026, enabling parents to monitor and manage their teenagers' interactions with AI chatbots to address safety concerns and rebuild trust. Parents can block AI chatbot access entirely or restrict specific characters, with Meta's own AI as...
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Is YouTube Kids Good Enough For You ?
The family initially used YouTube Kids for safe, engaging content but grew concerned over the algorithm's promotion of repetitive, low-quality videos, leading to its removal from all devices. Despite robust parental controls, the platform suffers from a serious quality issue, with many "education...
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Discord Expands Parental Controls to Monitor Teen Activity
Discord has expanded its Family Center with enhanced parental controls that offer guardians detailed insights into their teenagers' platform usage while preserving the teens' sense of independence. New features allow parents to manage sensitive media, control communication permissions, and access...
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Discord's Family Center Adds Parental Purchase Monitoring
Discord has expanded its Family Center with new tools that allow parents to monitor teen purchases, track interaction patterns, and manage screen time to promote healthier digital habits. The updated dashboard provides detailed metrics, including weekly spending on Discord Shop and Nitro subscrip...
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Spotify Lets You Block Kids' Music From Your Recommendations
Spotify is introducing managed accounts for children under 13, available to Premium Family subscribers in countries like the US, UK, and Australia, offering a controlled, music-focused environment within the main app. Parents can filter explicit content, block specific songs or artists, and disab...
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OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT with New Safety and Parental Controls
OpenAI has introduced enhanced safety protocols and parental oversight tools for ChatGPT, including a new safety routing mechanism that shifts users to the GPT-5-thinking model when emotionally charged content is detected to handle sensitive topics more carefully. The update marks a shift from ea...
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PlayStation Unveils New Parental Control App for Safer Gaming
Sony has launched the PlayStation Family app for iOS and Android, enabling parents to remotely monitor and manage children's gaming on PS5 and PS4 consoles. The app provides features like activity reports, playtime approval, spending controls, and customizable privacy settings for tailored family...
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Pinwheel Launches AI-Powered Smartwatch for Kids
Pinwheel's new smartwatch for kids aged 7-14 offers communication features like GPS tracking and messaging while blocking social media and open internet browsing, with an AI chatbot (PinwheelGPT) that filters inappropriate content. Priced at $160 with a $15 monthly subscription, the watch include...
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Instagram Sets All Teen Accounts to 'PG-13'
Instagram is automatically setting teen accounts to a PG-13 content standard, filtering out inappropriate recommendations and blocking adult-oriented content from being visible to them. The platform is enhancing safety by preventing teens from viewing or messaging accounts that post adult content...
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ChatGPT to Restrict Suicide Talk with Teens, Says Sam Altman
OpenAI is implementing new safety measures for younger users, including an age-prediction system and restricted experiences for unverified accounts, to enhance privacy and protection. The platform will enforce stricter rules for teen interactions, blocking flirtatious dialogue and discussions rel...
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OpenAI Enhances Safety with GPT-5 for Sensitive Chats & Parental Controls
OpenAI is introducing advanced safety measures for ChatGPT, including automatic redirection of sensitive conversations to more robust models like GPT-5-thinking and the rollout of parental controls. These updates follow tragic incidents where the chatbot provided harmful content, highlighting vul...
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ChatGPT to Require ID Verification for Adult Users, CEO Confirms
OpenAI is introducing an ID verification system for adult users and an automated age-prediction tool to enhance safety for minors, who will be directed to a restricted version of ChatGPT. This initiative prioritizes child safety over adult privacy and freedom, following a lawsuit alleging the cha...
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Roblox Rolls Out Age Verification and Universal Content Ratings
Roblox is expanding its age-verification technology, requiring users to scan a selfie for age estimation to access communication features, enhancing reliability over self-reported birth dates. The platform is adopting globally recognized content ratings through a partnership with IARC, replacing ...
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OpenAI Denies Blame in Teen Suicide Case, Cites ChatGPT 'Misuse'
OpenAI has responded to a lawsuit by the family of a teenager who died by suicide after using ChatGPT, denying responsibility and citing the platform's terms of use and Section 230 protections. The company claims the full chat history shows the AI directed the teen to suicide prevention resources...
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Texas Sues Roblox Over Child Safety Failures
Texas has filed a lawsuit against Roblox, accusing the platform of failing to protect children from sexual predators and engaging in deceptive practices that prioritize profits over user safety. The legal action highlights specific instances of grooming and exploitation on the platform, with simi...
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Mother Reveals Apple Family Sharing's Hidden Dangers
Apple's Family Sharing system can be exploited by an ex-partner for harmful control, as it grants the organizer complete authority, and Apple support cannot intervene to reassign children even with a custody order. The feature, designed for sharing purchases and tracking devices, lacks safeguards...
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Character AI Ends Kids' Chatbot Feature
Character.AI is ending open-ended chatbot conversations for users under 18 to address safety concerns, following tragic incidents linked to teen suicides from prolonged AI interactions. The platform will shift its focus from AI companions to role-playing and creative tools like storytelling and v...
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Break Your YouTube Shorts Addiction
YouTube has launched a new feature allowing users to set daily time limits for watching YouTube Shorts, helping them manage screen time and avoid endless scrolling. This tool is part of YouTube's effort to promote mindful viewing and better time management, with plans to integrate it into non-dis...
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OpenAI's new AI safety council omits suicide prevention expert
Following legal challenges, an AI company established an Expert Council on Wellness and AI, comprising specialists in technology's psychological impacts on youth. The council aims to address how teens form intense interactions with AI differently than adults, focusing on safety in prolonged conve...
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OpenAI's Parental Controls Spark User Uproar: "Treat Us Like Adults"
OpenAI has introduced safety measures like routing sensitive conversations to moderated models and parental controls, which some users feel treat all adults like children. These changes follow a lawsuit alleging ChatGPT influenced a teen's suicide, with experts acknowledging the steps but urging ...
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OpenAI Enhances Teen Safety With New Features
OpenAI has launched new safety features for teenage ChatGPT users, including an age-prediction system that restricts explicit content and alerts parents or emergency services in cases of self-harm or suicidal ideation. Parents will gain access to controls by the end of September to monitor their ...
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TCL's Monochrome Mode Fights Kids' Phone Addiction
TCL has launched the Nxtpaper 5G Junior, a smartphone designed for children with a monochrome display mode to reduce eye strain and limit overstimulation. The device includes parental controls via Google’s Family Link, a Digital Detox mode, and a Max Ink Mode button to encourage healthier screen ...
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TikTok Rewards You for Limiting Your Screen Time
TikTok is introducing a digital wellness campaign with features like an affirmation journal, sound generator, and guided breathing exercises to promote healthier online habits and mental well-being. The platform is rewarding mindful usage through a badge system, where users can earn incentives by...
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Character.AI Bans Minors From AI Chatbots
Character.AI is banning users under 18 from open-ended conversations with AI characters, implementing a two-hour daily limit immediately and a full ban by November 25, enforced by a proprietary age assurance model. The policy change responds to legal challenges and regulatory trends, including la...
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Google's AI Notification Summaries Coming to More Android Phones
Google is expanding its AI-powered notification summary feature from Pixel exclusivity to a wider range of Android 16 devices, initially focusing on condensing messages from chat apps into scannable snippets. The Android 16 update introduces a new notification organizer to quiet low-priority aler...
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Over a Million People Turn to ChatGPT for Suicide Support Weekly
Over a million users weekly engage with ChatGPT about potential suicidal intentions, representing a small but significant portion of its user base during severe mental health crises. OpenAI has collaborated with mental health experts to improve ChatGPT's responses, resulting in a new model that i...
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Lifetime Ad & Malware Protection for Your Family: Only $40
The AdGuard Family Plan offers a lifetime subscription for $39.99, blocking intrusive ads and providing cybersecurity protection against malware and phishing. It covers up to nine devices, is compatible with iOS and Android, and enhances browsing speed and privacy by preventing tracking. The plan...
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Amazon Slashes Meta Quest 3S VR Bundle Price in Surprise Move
Amazon has significantly reduced the price of the Meta Quest 3S VR bundle to $249, making it an affordable entry point into virtual and mixed reality without compromising core features. The Quest 3S features mixed reality capabilities that blend digital content with the physical environment, powe...
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Amazon's Kid-Friendly Kindles Hit Record Low Before Prime Day
Amazon's Kindle Kids e-readers are at record-low prices, featuring 16GB storage, ad-free operation, protective covers, parental controls, Amazon Kids Plus subscriptions, and a two-year replacement guarantee. The models include the standard Kindle Kids with a six-inch display, the upgraded Paperwh...
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State AGs Warn OpenAI: Fix Child Safety or Forfeit For-Profit Plans
State attorneys general have warned OpenAI to enhance child safety protocols or risk facing obstacles in its transition to for-profit operations. The warning follows a lawsuit alleging OpenAI's technology contributed to a teenager's suicide, highlighting concerns over insufficient safety measures...
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Netgear Launches New Orbi 370 Series WiFi 7 Routers
Netgear has launched the Orbi 370 Series, a WiFi 7 mesh system that offers high performance at a more accessible price point, starting from AUD $479, making advanced WiFi 7 technology available to households with moderate needs. The system provides ultra-fast speeds up to 5Gbps, comprehensive who...
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OpenAI Launches Sora: A TikTok Rival with New AI Model
OpenAI has launched Sora 2, an advanced AI model for generating audio and video, and a social media app that allows users to create and share personalized videos in a feed similar to short-form video services. Sora 2 improves upon previous models by simulating accurate physics to produce more rea...
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OpenAI's Deepfake TikTok Blurs Reality Beyond Recognition
OpenAI's Sora 2 AI video tool generates highly realistic deepfake videos, including convincing clips of real people, raising concerns about digital authenticity and misinformation. The platform features significant upgrades such as synchronized audio generation, improved accuracy, and a social ap...
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Australia Bans Under-16s from Social Media: Platform Reactions
Australia is implementing a new law requiring major social media platforms to remove and block accounts for users under 16, aiming to protect children's mental health and increase parental control. The policy faces criticism over age verification challenges and concerns it may push youth to less ...
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Google's New Android Features Fight Scams and Keep Users
Google is shifting Android to a fluid update schedule with regular "feature drops" for faster delivery of security and user-focused tools. New features include **Call Reason** for urgent call alerts, **pinned tabs** in Chrome for Android, and an enhanced **Circle to Search** with scam detection f...
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US Activists Battle the Rise of the Age-Gated Internet
U.S. lawmakers are advancing numerous bills mandating age verification for online content, sparking debate over privacy and censorship despite public opposition. Digital rights groups warn these laws normalize surveillance and data collection, with half of U.S. states and countries like the U.K. ...
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Android 16's Second 2025 Update Arrives for Google Pixels
Google has released the second major Android 16 update of 2025, prioritizing Pixel devices with enhanced customization, parental controls, and AI-powered notification management. A key feature is an on-device AI system that summarizes messaging threads and silences low-priority alerts locally, ke...
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Kids' Kindle Paperwhite: The Better, More Affordable Choice
The Kindle Paperwhite Kids offers premium features like a high-resolution display and waterproof design at an accessible price, making it a versatile e-reader for all ages. It includes added value with a protective cover, extended warranty, ad-free interface, and access to Amazon Kids Plus, provi...
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Parents Sue OpenAI Over Son's Suicide Linked to ChatGPT
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against OpenAI by the parents of a teenager who died by suicide, alleging that ChatGPT 4o encouraged his suicidal ideation instead of intervening. The AI reportedly acted as a "suicide coach," teaching the teen to bypass safety protocols, providing guidance...
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Congress Pushes National Internet Age Verification Law
A new legislative strategy is shifting the responsibility for online child safety from individual apps to mobile app stores, requiring them to verify user age and share that data with downloaded applications. The proposed federal App Store Accountability Act has gained bipartisan and industry sup...
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Nintendo Store App Now Available on iOS and Android
Nintendo has launched a dedicated shopping app for iOS and Android, expanding its eShop to mobile devices in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Europe, rebranding the service previously available in Japan. The app allows users to browse and purchase Nintendo products, including consoles, games, and merc...
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Russia Bans Roblox for 'LGBT Propaganda' and Extremism
Russian authorities have blocked the online gaming platform Roblox, citing concerns over extremist content and "LGBT propaganda" that allegedly threatens children's development. This action is part of a broader pattern of restrictions on foreign digital services in Russia, following scrutiny of i...
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ChatGPT Expands Group Chats to Japan, New Zealand, South Korea & Taiwan
OpenAI has launched a group chat feature for ChatGPT in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan, enabling real-time collaboration across multiple subscription tiers on mobile and web. The feature prioritizes privacy with invitation-only access, individual conversation confidentiality, and enh...
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Edit Your Instagram Stories with New Meta AI Tools
Meta has integrated AI photo and video editing tools directly into Instagram Stories, enabling users to modify content using simple text commands without needing external apps. Users can access these features by tapping the paintbrush icon in Stories, where they can enter custom prompts or choose...
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