Science & Tech · AI · 4 hrs ago
Hawaii plaintiffs sue OpenAI over children’s data used to train ChatGPT
A Hawaii parent has sued OpenAI on behalf of her two children, alleging the company used children’s data from ChatGPT without parents’ permission.
The case concerns a 12-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy, and the lawsuit says children in the United States who used ChatGPT could join if it is approved as a class action.
OpenAI’s rules say users under 18 need a parent or guardian’s permission, and users must be at least 13; the suit alleges the company did not verify consent and that the chatbot continued talking with the 12-year-old.
The plaintiffs say chats revealed children’s personal information, including details about health, relationships, feelings and fears.
They allege OpenAI used children’s data to train AI models and build profiles, but these are claims in the lawsuit, not established findings.
They are seeking equity or cash tied to each child’s ChatGPT use, measured in tokens, and want the case to cover eligible users nationwide.
OpenAI had not immediately responded to a request for comment, and the case’s next steps are not stated.
A Hawaii mother has filed a proposed class action lawsuit accusing OpenAI of using children’s ChatGPT data without parental consent.
The lawsuit says her two children, aged 12 and 16, signed up for ChatGPT accounts without permission.
It alleges OpenAI collected sensitive information from children and used it to train AI models and build profiles.
The plaintiffs seek a share of OpenAI’s equity or its cash equivalent, based on how much data each child contributed.
OpenAI said it strongly disagrees with the lawsuit and cited age-specific protections built into its product.
- Who
- A Hawaii mother is suing OpenAI on behalf of her two children, aged 12 and 16.
- What
- The proposed class action alleges OpenAI used children’s data without parental consent. The plaintiffs seek equity or its cash equivalent.
- When
- The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday. The children signed up for ChatGPT in early 2026.
- Where
- Hawaii. The proposed class would include people in the US who used ChatGPT while under 18.
- Why
- The plaintiffs say OpenAI collected children’s personal information without permission and used it to train AI models and build profiles.
The plaintiffs
OpenAI
Consent
The plaintiffs
The plaintiffs allege OpenAI used children’s data without parental consent.
OpenAI
OpenAI says it has industry-leading age-specific protections built into its product.
Use of children’s information
The plaintiffs
The plaintiffs say OpenAI extracted sensitive information from children and used it to train models, build profiles and enrich itself.
OpenAI
OpenAI strongly disagrees with the lawsuit; its response does not address each allegation individually.
The two children signed up for ChatGPT accounts without parental permission.
The mother filed a proposed class action lawsuit against OpenAI.
- Plaintiff’s children
- Ages 12 and 16
- Location
- Hawaii
- Proposed class
- US users who were under 18 when they used ChatGPT
- Requested compensation
- OpenAI equity or its cash equivalent, determined by each child’s data contribution
2 sources
What people are saying
OpenAI manipulates children into sharing their most private thoughts and images with ChatGPT,
We strongly disagree with this misguided lawsuit that singles out OpenAI despite the industry-leading age-specific protections we’ve built into our product,
This risks pushing teens toward products with fewer safeguards or reduced parental controls.