Raising Is Character AI safe for kids? What parents should know
Is Character AI safe for kids? Apple's App Store rates Character.AI 18+, citing infrequent violence, horror, sexual content, and drug references, among others. The company says it removed open-ended chat for users under 18 by November 25, 2025; in October 2026, 40 attorneys general told a court it can be bypassed. Character.AI faces lawsuits and state actions over harm to teens, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2026 while the service keeps running.
Character.AI at a glance
- ✓Official rating above age 7
App Store: 18+ - –Contact with other players or strangers
Chats with AI characters, not people - ✓Purchases with real money
c.ai+, Lite, and Charms - –Paid random items
None found - ✓Violence or scary content in rating descriptors
App Store: infrequent violence, horror - ✓Government lawsuits, fines, or safety warnings
Kentucky suit, 40-AG court filing (2026)
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count.
| Type | Chat app with AI characters created by users, by Character Technologies |
|---|---|
| App Store (iOS) | 18+ — infrequent violence, profanity, mature themes, horror, drug references, sexual content, weapons source |
| Under 18 | Company ended open-ended chat for under-18s by Nov 25, 2025 source |
| Purchases | c.ai+ $9.99 a month, Character.AI Lite $4.99, Charms packs $0.99–$49.99 |
| Legal | Chapter 11 filed Oct 2026, service continues; lawsuits and state AG actions source |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is Character.AI?
Short answer: A chat app where users talk with AI characters, many of them created by other users.
It's made by Character Technologies, Inc. In 2024, Google licensed its technology and hired its founders. The conversations are with AI characters.
Is Character AI safe for kids? The facts
Short answer: It's rated 18+, and the company says under-18s can no longer chat freely.
- Rating: App Store 18+, with infrequent cartoon violence, profanity, mature themes, horror, drug references, sexual content, and weapons.
- Under 18: in October 2025 the company announced it would remove open-ended chat for under-18s by November 25, 2025, using its own age-assurance model and third-party tools such as Persona.
- Disputed: a 40-attorney-general filing in October 2026 says the ban can be bypassed, for example by voice mode.
- Purchases: c.ai+ ($9.99 a month), Character.AI Lite ($4.99), and Charms packs ($0.99–$49.99).
Has Character AI been sued?
Short answer: Yes. Character.AI has said its characters are fictional and carry disclaimers.
- Families: a 2024 Florida lawsuit over the suicide of a 14-year-old was among five suits that Character.AI and Google agreed to settle in January 2026; terms weren't disclosed.
- States: Kentucky's attorney general sued in January 2026, and the company said it is reviewing the allegations; Pennsylvania's state medical board brought a case in May 2026 over a bot posing as a licensed psychiatrist; Texas opened an investigation in 2024.
- FTC: in September 2025, the FTC ordered Character Technologies and six other companies to share information about AI companion chatbots; it's a study, not enforcement.
Character.AI's bankruptcy
Short answer: Character.AI filed for Chapter 11 in Delaware on October 12, 2026, and the service and subscriptions continue as of October 2026.
According to CBS News, a sale is expected in late 2026, and Disney took a $20 million license for its characters. On October 14, 2026, 40 attorneys general asked the bankruptcy court to require stronger age verification, remove bots posing as licensed professionals, and let users delete their data before any sale. They cited testing that found 669 harmful interactions in 50 hours on accounts registered as ages 12–15.
The habit kids may copy: a friend who always answers
An AI character replies right away, every time, and stays in the role the user wants.
Try tonight: who would really know?
Play with a stuffed animal or puppet that "talks." When your child asks it a real question, have the puppet say: "Hmm. Who would really know? Let's ask a person." Let your child pick who: you, a grandparent, or a teacher tomorrow. In our program, this is the lesson "Wisdom": thinking before deciding.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
What is Character AI's age rating?
Apple's App Store rates Character.AI 18+, citing violence, horror, sexual content, and drug references, among others.
Is Character AI safe for kids?
It's rated 18+. The company says it ended open-ended chat for under-18s in November 2025; 40 attorneys general said in October 2026 that this can be bypassed.
Can kids under 18 use Character AI?
Under-18s can no longer use open-ended chat, according to the company, which uses age-assurance tools to identify them.
Is Character AI shutting down?
Not as of October 2026. It filed for Chapter 11 in October 2026 and says the service and subscriptions continue while it seeks a buyer.
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