Lawsuit alleges OpenAI used children's data without parental permission to train ChatGPT

The short version

• A parent filed Jane Doe v. OpenAI Foundation on behalf of a 12-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy, according to CNET.[CNET]
• The suit alleges OpenAI used data from millions of children who signed up for ChatGPT without parental permission, though OpenAI's terms require that permission and the suit says consent is never verified.[CNET]
• The plaintiffs seek class-action status for US minors who used ChatGPT and demand compensation tied to the tokens each child contributed; OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.[CNET]
• The claims are allegations, and the suit is one of dozens filed against OpenAI in recent years, some accusing ChatGPT of contributing to suicide, self-harm, or mental health crises.[CNET]

Key facts

• A lawsuit titled Jane Doe v. OpenAI Foundation was filed on a Tuesday by a parent on behalf of two children, a 12-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy.[CNET]
• The lawsuit alleges OpenAI used data from millions of children who signed up for ChatGPT accounts without parental permission.[CNET]
• OpenAI's terms say users under 18 need parental permission, but the suit says children can still sign up and OpenAI never verifies consent.[CNET]
• The plaintiffs want the suit certified as a class action covering anyone in the US who was under 18 when they used ChatGPT.[CNET]
• The plaintiffs demand compensation in proportion to the number of tokens each child contributed to OpenAI through ChatGPT.[CNET]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• OpenAI Sued Over Children’s Data Used to Train ChatGPTCNET