AI
Chatbots, AI companions and the AI built into your child’s apps: what each one does, and the risks that come with it.
Can I see what my teen is saying to an AI chatbot?
only topics, or an alert in a crisis. None of the big chatbots show you the conversation.
What is PolyBuzz?
An AI character chat app with 50 million-plus Android installs, rated 18+ by both app stores. Its terms ban under-18s worldwide; its FAQ advertises a Teen Mode.
AI is being built into your child’s toys — and not safely
Chatbot plushies and AI robot toys are on shelves now, marketed as educational. Congress wants to ban them.
How safe are your child’s apps?
Twenty-two platforms, rated independently across seven categories, with a recommended age for each.
How old is your child?
Wired Parents recommends for Character.ai.
Character.ai states 13+ (16+ UK/EU).
Teens are flagging Character.AI addiction themselves
OpenAI funded a child safety coalition — without telling the members
A group recruiting child safety nonprofits to back AI regulation turned out to be founded and funded entirely by OpenAI.
The AI users parents may not know about
New data from Pew and Surgo Health reveals which teenagers are most reliant on AI — and why parents are underestimating it.
Children are treating AI chatbots as friends
31% of children aged 11-16 consider AI chatbots to be friends.
AI chatbots and children. What you need to know
AI chatbots sit outside most child safety laws. Here's what that means in practice — and the questions worth asking if your child uses one.
