Is ChatGPT Safe for Teens? What Parents Need to Know

Is your teen confiding in ChatGPT instead of you? Generative AI is now part of almost every corner of teen life, and it happened so fast that many of us feel a step behind. Are teens using AI to learn, to cheat, or something in between? Are they turning to it for emotional support? And what should we worry about versus react to out of fear?

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In this episode, I sit down with Alanna Powers-O'Brien, Research and Program Specialist at the Family Online Safety Institute and co-author of the national report Generative AI in Uncertain Times: How Teens Are Navigating a New Digital Frontier. We talk about what teens told researchers directly, what surprised even the experts, and why most parents are focused on the wrong risks.

You'll hear why many teens don't want to cheat, why 42% use AI to talk through their emotions, and what teens wish parents understood before reacting.

 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• How teens use ChatGPT and other AI tools for school, learning, and everyday problems
• Why many teens are confused about what counts as cheating with AI
• Why teens turn to AI for emotional support, and what it does and doesn't replace
• Teens' top concern about AI, and why it's not what most parents assume
• What teens wish parents understood before reacting

 

EPISODE CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Teens and generative AI explained
• 01:03 Inside the research on teen AI use
• 02:40 How teens use ChatGPT and other AI tools
• 05:22 AI and cheating
• 08:22 The gray areas parents should understand
• 10:13 Teens' fears about losing critical thinking skills
• 12:05 AI and the future job market
• 12:59 Why teens talk to AI about their feelings
• 15:59 Why AI feels human to teens
• 17:16 Data privacy and safety concerns
• 18:40 Why AI is so appealing to teens
• 20:52 AI dependency and social connection
• 24:16 Accessibility and emotional support
• 25:54 What teens wish parents knew
• 27:56 Practical advice for parents

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Generative AI in Uncertain Times: How Teens Are Navigating a New Digital Frontier
• Family Online Safety Institute

 

CONNECT WITH ALANNA POWERS-O'BRIEN

• Organization: Family Online Safety Institute
• Website: FOSI.org

 

CONNECT WITH DR. CAM CASWELL

• Website: AskDrCam.com
• Instagram: @DrCamCaswell
• Parenting Teens Academy

 

ABOUT THE SHOW

Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam is hosted by Dr. Cam Caswell, an adolescent psychologist and certified parenting coach. Each episode gives you practical strategies, expert advice, and real-world insight to build a stronger relationship with your teen.

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