Florida Sues OpenAI, Alleging ChatGPT Harms Child Safety; First US State to Take Legal Action
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a civil lawsuit on June 1 against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT addicts young users, encourages harmful behavior, and lacks adequate age verification, endangering child safety. Florida is the first US state to take such legal action against OpenAI.
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- 📰 Published: June 2, 2026 at 10:13
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(Central News Agency, New York, June 1, Combined Foreign Reports) Florida's Attorney General today filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, accusing the company's chatbot ChatGPT of addicting young users and encouraging harmful behavior, endangering their safety. Florida becomes the first US state to take legal action against OpenAI.
According to Agence France-Presse and Reuters, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said at a press conference: "We are here today to announce that we have recently filed a major civil lawsuit against Sam Altman and ChatGPT, accusing them of endangering our children and misleading parents into believing this application is safe to use, which is clearly not the case."
Uthmeier said: "People have been hurt, parents have been deceived, and they must pay the price."
He added: "We know that ChatGPT is addictive. It mimics empathy and human traits to trick users into providing more and more information."
Uthmeier accused OpenAI of failing to implement stricter regulations to verify user age, citing laws on fraud and negligence.
The complaint states: "Despite public knowledge that minors, including pre-adolescent children, use ChatGPT, the defendants have taken no measures to prevent them from using ChatGPT."
The lawsuit also states that "the free version of ChatGPT has no safeguards or age verification mechanisms," and while paid subscriptions nominally ask for user age, they "do not have an actual age verification mechanism, nor do they allow parents to know the content of conversations between minors and ChatGPT."
Uthmeier seeks to strengthen protections for minor users, demanding $10,000 (approximately NT$310,000) per violation.
Uthmeier also invited other states "interested in protecting children" to join the lawsuit.
When contacted by AFP, an OpenAI spokesperson said: "Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging and powerful technology, and we believe minors need adequate protection. Therefore, we have implemented industry-leading safeguards and policies."
The California-based startup launched a system in January to estimate user age, activating additional safeguards if a minor is detected. ChatGPT prohibits use by children under 13, and minors aged 13 to 18 must obtain parental consent.
OpenAI has previously stated that it trains its models to refuse requests that could "materially facilitate violence," reports conversations posing an "imminent and credible risk of harm to others" to law enforcement, and employs mental health experts to assess borderline cases.
Uthmeier announced a criminal investigation in April after prosecutors reviewed chat logs between the suspect in last year's Florida State University mass shooting and ChatGPT.
AI companies are facing an increasing number of lawsuits alleging they failed to prevent chatbots from generating interactions that could encourage self-harm, mental illness, and violent behavior.
OpenAI also faces another lawsuit filed by the families of victims of the Florida State University shooting, who allege the suspect received assistance from ChatGPT while planning the attack.
Families of victims of a major Canadian campus shooting also filed a class-action lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman in April, claiming the company knew the gunman was planning the attack on ChatGPT eight months before the incident but failed to alert police. (Editor: Lu Yingzi) 1150602
According to Agence France-Presse and Reuters, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said at a press conference: "We are here today to announce that we have recently filed a major civil lawsuit against Sam Altman and ChatGPT, accusing them of endangering our children and misleading parents into believing this application is safe to use, which is clearly not the case."
Uthmeier said: "People have been hurt, parents have been deceived, and they must pay the price."
He added: "We know that ChatGPT is addictive. It mimics empathy and human traits to trick users into providing more and more information."
Uthmeier accused OpenAI of failing to implement stricter regulations to verify user age, citing laws on fraud and negligence.
The complaint states: "Despite public knowledge that minors, including pre-adolescent children, use ChatGPT, the defendants have taken no measures to prevent them from using ChatGPT."
The lawsuit also states that "the free version of ChatGPT has no safeguards or age verification mechanisms," and while paid subscriptions nominally ask for user age, they "do not have an actual age verification mechanism, nor do they allow parents to know the content of conversations between minors and ChatGPT."
Uthmeier seeks to strengthen protections for minor users, demanding $10,000 (approximately NT$310,000) per violation.
Uthmeier also invited other states "interested in protecting children" to join the lawsuit.
When contacted by AFP, an OpenAI spokesperson said: "Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging and powerful technology, and we believe minors need adequate protection. Therefore, we have implemented industry-leading safeguards and policies."
The California-based startup launched a system in January to estimate user age, activating additional safeguards if a minor is detected. ChatGPT prohibits use by children under 13, and minors aged 13 to 18 must obtain parental consent.
OpenAI has previously stated that it trains its models to refuse requests that could "materially facilitate violence," reports conversations posing an "imminent and credible risk of harm to others" to law enforcement, and employs mental health experts to assess borderline cases.
Uthmeier announced a criminal investigation in April after prosecutors reviewed chat logs between the suspect in last year's Florida State University mass shooting and ChatGPT.
AI companies are facing an increasing number of lawsuits alleging they failed to prevent chatbots from generating interactions that could encourage self-harm, mental illness, and violent behavior.
OpenAI also faces another lawsuit filed by the families of victims of the Florida State University shooting, who allege the suspect received assistance from ChatGPT while planning the attack.
Families of victims of a major Canadian campus shooting also filed a class-action lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman in April, claiming the company knew the gunman was planning the attack on ChatGPT eight months before the incident but failed to alert police. (Editor: Lu Yingzi) 1150602
FAQ
Why did Florida sue OpenAI?
Alleging that ChatGPT addicts young users, encourages harmful behavior, and lacks adequate age verification.
What is the penalty sought in the lawsuit?
$10,000 per violation (approximately NT$310,000).
What age verification measures does OpenAI have?
Introduced an age estimation system in January 2025. Prohibits use by children under 13; minors aged 13-18 need parental consent.