Eight US states sue OpenAI over child safety
The states are demanding changes to ChatGPT and the surrender of revenue earned from younger users.
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Eight US states have sued OpenAI over alleged harm to children caused by ChatGPT. The states claim that the chatbot may have encouraged children to harm themselves or others; a judge has yet to rule on the matter.
Iowa, Kansas and six other US states announced on Wednesday that they had filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI. The cases are being heard in state courts across the United States. According to the plaintiffs, ChatGPT has not always adequately protected children from harmful conversations.
The states are asking judges to require OpenAI to modify how ChatGPT operates for minors. They also want the company to surrender revenue that they say was earned from young users. The precise legal arguments may vary from state to state, but the cases concern product safety, consumer protection and the responsibility of technology companies.
The allegations have not been established. The lawsuits have yet to be considered on their merits and in themselves say nothing about OpenAI's ultimate liability. The companies and individuals being sued may defend themselves and submit evidence.
The new cases form part of a broader legal battle in the United States over chatbots and minors. Florida was the first US state to sue OpenAI, in June. According to the publicly released complaint, that case concerned alleged misleading safety claims and risks to children and other vulnerable users.
In recent reporting, OpenAI has stressed that it has developed age-based safety measures. The company previously also announced a separate ChatGPT version for teenagers. According to OpenAI, most teenagers use the service to learn, seek information and develop skills; the new plaintiffs consider such measures insufficient.
The outcome could affect how AI services are offered to young people in the United States. If states can enforce stricter requirements through consumer law, a patchwork of rules could emerge alongside any federal legislation. For OpenAI and its competitors, that could mean higher costs for age verification, monitoring, parental controls and the retention of conversations.
For users in the Netherlands, these US lawsuits will not immediately change access to ChatGPT. The case does, however, form part of an international debate about whether general-purpose AI systems provide sufficient protection for children, and who is responsible when a chatbot conducts dangerous or inappropriate conversations.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Eight US states have announced new lawsuits against OpenAI.
- The states claim that ChatGPT does not adequately protect children and are seeking legal measures.
- OpenAI has announced age-based safety features and disputes earlier allegations.
Left
Arguments Children must not be treated as a test group for rapidly developing commercial AI. Companies must demonstrably provide safety before serving young people on a large scale.
Values Children's rights, public protection, prevention and responsible enterprise.
Consequences Stricter rules could limit risks, but may also slow innovation and access to educational applications.
Centre
Arguments Uniform, verifiable safety standards are needed, with room for useful applications and independent assessment of complaints.
Values Proportionality, evidence, innovation and user protection.
Consequences A combination of age verification, parental controls and monitoring could improve protection without banning every AI service outright.
Right
Arguments Companies must be capable of being held liable when they mislead consumers or offer demonstrably dangerous products; states must retain room to act independently.
Values Personal responsibility, consumer protection, legal certainty and state autonomy.
Consequences Large damages claims could compel companies to improve security, but differing state rules could fragment the market.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The current lawsuits, the number of states and the main demands have been confirmed by Reuters. The text clearly distinguishes between legal allegations and established facts.
- confirmed Eight US states announced lawsuits against OpenAI on 14 October 2026. — Reuters names Iowa, Kansas and six other states. source
- confirmed The states are seeking changes to ChatGPT for children. — Reuters reports that the cases seek a court order requiring changes for young users. source
- confirmed The states are also seeking the surrender of revenue from young users. — This appears in Reuters' summary of the demands. source
- confirmed Florida was the first US state to sue OpenAI, in June. — This is stated in a press release from Florida's attorney general. source
Editor's note
The lawsuits and their demands have been confirmed by Reuters. The allegations against OpenAI have not been proven; the text consistently attributes them to the states bringing the lawsuits.Sources
- Eight US states sue OpenAI, claiming ChatGPT harms children — Reuters
- Attorney General files lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman — Florida Attorney General
- California attorney general subpoenas OpenAI — California Department of Justice
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „openai chatgpt”
- Het Parool — „openai chatgpt”
- NRC — „openai chatgpt”