Is an AI chatbot safe for my kid?

Is your kid or grandkid talking to an AI "friend"? California's Attorney General describes companion chatbots as programs built to form a relationship with a user, and says they "can simulate human personalities and deep emotional relationships and falsely present as friends, romantic companions, or even mental health specialists." Here's what California now requires of these apps, and what to check at home.

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"Saw this about AI chatbot and companion apps for kids, and what California now requires of them. Worth a look:"

Signed October 13, 2025, per the Governor's office:

• Companion chatbot platforms must have protocols to identify and address users' suicidal ideation or expressions of self-harm.
• They must disclose that the conversation is artificially generated.
• Minors must get break reminders, and be prevented from viewing sexually explicit images the chatbot generates.
• Platforms must share their self-harm protocols, and how often they gave users crisis center prevention notifications, with the Department of Public Health. The chatbot also may not represent itself as a health care professional.

The California Department of Education adds that the law prohibits a chatbot from representing itself as a health care professional, and allows families to pursue legal action if the safeguards are violated. It's in the Business and Professions Code, sections 22601 to 22606 (California law).

1. Ask which apps they talk to, not just which they use. Companion and "character" apps are the ones built to feel like a friend.
2. Look for the required signs: the app says it's AI, and a minor's account gets break reminders. If an app doesn't do either, that's worth a closer look.
3. A chatbot playing doctor or therapist is a red flag: the law bars it from representing itself as a health care professional.
4. If self-harm ever comes up, talk to them, and call or text 988, the national crisis line (988 Lifeline). In an emergency, call 911.
5. At school: the Department of Education asks districts whether the AI chatbots they use meet SB 243. It's a fair question at a parent conference.

On September 11, 2025 the FTC sent orders to seven companies, Alphabet, Character Technologies, Instagram, Meta, OpenAI, Snap and X.AI, asking among other things how they measure, test and monitor for negative impacts before and after deployment (FTC).

PJ, a local in Solana Beach, sits down with you and the phone or tablet, looks at which apps are on it, and sets up the controls the device already has. Tech help at home · Text PJ. Scams that use AI voices: the family safe word.

Sources: Governor of California, Oct 13, 2025 · California Attorney General · California Department of Education, AI guidance · FTC, Sept 11, 2025. Read October 12, 2026.

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