CHAI Safety Settings

CHAI safety settings help parents understand access, privacy and the limits of this service. CHAI lets adults converse with AI characters and create bots. A conversation may feel spontaneous, humorous or personal, which can attract curious teenagers. However, this adult service should not become a substitute for conversations with people who can take responsibility for a child’s wellbeing.

Start with the age warning below. Then review the relevant controls and practical family advice. This guide explains protections and limits rather than recommending that children join a platform.

Age Rating and Child Safety Warning

CHAI’s Safety Center states that it is an 18+ service and is not intended for minors. Parental permission does not create an exception. Its app store classification is a separate label. Therefore, a parent finding a child’s account should focus on stopping access, reporting the underage account and addressing any upsetting experience. Read the current provider guidance.

Age assurance can involve a birth date, an age estimate or an identity check, depending on the service and location. Read the actual notice before supplying evidence. Use only the provider’s official route and never a link sent by a stranger. A successful age check does not establish emotional readiness or suitable content.

CHAI Access Restrictions

Prevent Underage Access

For this adult service, access prevention takes priority over adjusting conversation preferences.

• Keep adult sign in details private and sign out on shared devices. Do not lend a signed in account to a child.
• Review the app and browser routes together. Use the family device controls below and request help closing an underage account.

Why it matters: A content preference cannot create an eligible teen account. Also check other devices and involve the young person calmly rather than blaming them.

Set Device Limits with Family Link

For an eligible supervised Android device, a parent can limit access to the app. This is a device control rather than an AI content filter.

• Parent: Open Family Link and select your child.
• Open Screen time, Time limits and App limits. Select CHAI.
• Choose Set limit and save the agreed allowance, or use Block when access is unsuitable.

Why it matters: A device limit cannot make an ineligible account acceptable. Also review browser access and other devices, because an app limit does not cover every route.

Use Screen Time on iPhone or iPad

Family Sharing allows parents to manage a child’s Screen Time. Set this up with the child’s own Apple Account.

• Parent: Open iPhone Settings, then Screen Time and select the child under Family.
• Open App Limits, select Add Limit and select CHAI if installed. Set the allowance and add the limit.
• Review Downtime and protect changes with a Screen Time passcode the child does not know.

Why it matters: Review exceptions and other ways to reach the service. However, time limits do not inspect generated answers or replace the provider’s age requirements.

CHAI Safety Settings

Some CHAI safety settings vary by account, device or country. A setting on the website may differ from the app. Therefore, check the confirmation and its scope before relying on any change. Keep access restrictions separate from content, privacy and billing choices.

CHAI Safety Settings for Adult Content Preferences

CHAI’s Safety Center confirms mature search filtering, explicit message hiding and character blocking. Its public page does not give exact menu labels or a complete navigation route.

• For an eligible adult account, review the app’s available safety preferences. Enable its mature search filter and explicit message hiding where displayed.
• Next, use character blocking for an unwanted character. If you cannot locate these controls, ask hello@chai-research.com for instructions for your current app version.
• Finally, if the account belongs to a child, stop access and use the account closure route below.

Why it matters: These preferences do not change CHAI’s adult only eligibility. In addition, they cannot guarantee that every generated reply is suitable.

CHAI: Report a Character or Message

CHAI accepts anonymous reports within the app.

• Use the reporting control on the affected character or message. Choose the appropriate concern and submit relevant evidence.
• Next, for underage access or a missing reporting control, contact hello@chai-research.com.

Why it matters: The creator is not told who reported them. However, reporting does not provide immediate personal support or guarantee removal.

CHAI: Close an Account Used by a Minor

Account deletion is separate from removing the app.

• Sign in to the account with the account holder. Open Profile, Settings and Delete Account.
• Next, read the confirmation and preserve only necessary evidence before the account holder completes deletion. Contact hello@chai-research.com if access is unavailable.

Why it matters: Deletion may be subject to retention exceptions. Check subscription cancellation separately and keep the provider’s response.

CHAI: Request Access or Restrict Data Use

CHAI’s privacy policy says messages may improve its chatbots. However, a private bot is not a promise that the provider cannot process its conversations.

• Open your email service and address a privacy request to hello@chai-research.com or dpo@chai-research.com.
• Next, identify the account with the minimum information needed. Explain whether you want a copy, correction, erasure or a review of the use of your information.
• In addition, for an EU or UK account, state any request to object to processing, restrict processing or withdraw consent that applies to your situation. Ask for a written response.

Why it matters: These are privacy requests, not a verified training switch. The policy allows retention for the account’s duration and up to five years after deletion, with possible longer legal exceptions. Therefore, do not assume immediate erasure.

CHAI: Review Camera, Microphone and Location Permissions

Device permissions control access to sensors and selected files. Give only the access needed for the current task.

• On Android, open device Settings, Apps and CHAI. Open Permissions.
• Next, select each permission and choose Don’t allow for unnecessary access. For a needed feature, choose a limited option where the phone offers it.
• Finally, on iPhone or iPad, open Settings and Privacy & Security. Review Microphone, Camera, Photos and Location Services for this app.

Why it matters: Permissions do not remove files or recordings already uploaded. Therefore, keep other people out of voice and camera sessions and review access after updates.

CHAI: Reduce Notifications and Protect Sleep

Device notification choices can reduce prompts to return. This is a device preference rather than a platform content filter.

• On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, Notifications and CHAI. Turn Allow Notifications off if unwanted.
• Next, on Android, open Settings, Notifications and App notifications. Select the app and turn off unwanted notifications.

Why it matters: Also review browser notification permissions. However, silencing an alert does not prevent someone opening the service voluntarily.

CHAI: Protect Sign In and Recovery Access

Use a separate eligible account and keep its recovery method private. This is practical account protection, rather than a claim that this app offers a particular security switch.

• Use a unique password wherever you create a password for CHAI. Protect the email inbox used for recovery.
• Next, if you sign in with Google or Apple, open that provider’s account security settings and enable its additional sign in verification.
• Finally, sign out on shared computers. Never give another person a login code, even if a message claims to come from support.

Why it matters: A person with account access may read saved conversations. In addition, a secure login cannot stop a user voluntarily sharing private material.

CHAI: Check App Store Renewals

If the receipt shows an app store subscription, cancel through that store. Deleting the app is a separate action.

• For Apple billing, open Settings, your name and Subscriptions. Select CHAI and Cancel Subscription if available.
• Next, for Google Play billing, open Play Store, the profile icon, Payments & subscriptions and Subscriptions. Select the subscription and Cancel subscription.
• Finally, follow the confirmation prompts and check the expiry date. For a different billing provider, use the route on the receipt.

Why it matters: Removing an account may not stop a store renewal. Therefore, retain the cancellation confirmation and check the account that actually paid.

Understand What These Controls Cannot Do

A filter, paid plan or character label cannot guarantee a suitable reply. Also, removing a chat may leave separate memories, published creations or provider records. If a needed control is unclear, stop sharing private information and ask the official support service what it covers. Do not infer a parent dashboard or locked child setting from an ordinary account preference.

CHAI’s Safety Center describes mature search filters, explicit message hiding and character blocking. However, these adult preferences do not permit underage use. A parent finding a child’s account should use the closure and support route above.

How to Use CHAI Safely

A character can sound affectionate or authoritative without understanding your family. Ask what your child liked about the conversation and whether it involved secrecy or pressure. Then plan an alternative activity or trusted person they can approach. Avoid asking them to demonstrate adult material to prove what happened.

Review CHAI safety settings with the eligible account holder. Keep addresses, school details, passwords and private photographs out of prompts. In addition, do not upload another person’s image or voice to impersonate them. However, an apparently private conversation still involves a company processing information.

CHAI Safety Advice and Current Concerns

Keep Human Support at the Centre

For example, a character can mirror the user’s language and produce reassuring replies. However, it does not have a human duty of care. It cannot reliably assess a child’s safety, diagnose a condition or replace a qualified professional. Agree who the young person can contact when worried, including when a bot appears supportive.

Notice Changes in Everyday Life

Ask whether chats interfere with sleep, school, friendships or activities. In addition, look for distress when access stops, pressure to buy more interaction or a belief that only the character understands. These signs invite a calm conversation rather than proving a diagnosis. Therefore, make a practical plan together and seek appropriate professional help when concerns persist.

Respond to Sexual Content and Pressure

If a conversation turns sexual, threatening or coercive, stop it. Next, reassure the child that asking for help is the right response. If a real person pressures them through linked communities or messages, treat that contact separately from the bot. Avoid forwarding intimate images and get safeguarding help for threats or exploitation.

Check Identity, Accuracy and Secrecy

An imitation of a celebrity or fictional hero is not an authenticated person. Similarly, a convincing answer may invent facts or encourage a poor choice. Challenge messages that ask someone to hide the conversation from trusted adults. Use reliable human help for health, safety, money or relationship decisions.

CHAI Support and Regional Differences

Use the official CHAI privacy or support guidance for account and personal data concerns. Include the relevant content reference and device details, while leaving out unrelated private information. Ask for a request reference so you can follow up. A report is not emergency monitoring.

For families in Ireland, check the Data Protection Commission’s parent guidance. UK readers can use ICO public guidance, while US readers can consult FTC children’s privacy information. Account eligibility, privacy rights and app classifications are different questions.

For a concern involving a child’s immediate safety, contact the appropriate local emergency or safeguarding service. For other worries, speak with a trusted adult, school safeguarding contact or qualified health professional. CODA provides education and training rather than crisis monitoring. Explore CODA’s support resources for further routes.

CHAI Safety Settings Checklist

• Confirm the genuine service, account age and regional rules.
• Check app access, browser access and shared devices.
• Review CHAI safety settings alongside privacy, published creations and saved context.
• Protect sleep, real relationships and a trusted human support route.
• Check charges and cancel unwanted renewals through the receipt’s provider.
• Practise stopping, reporting and asking for help without shame.

CHAI Safety Settings FAQ

Does a friendly character make this suitable for a child?

No. A familiar image says little about what a conversation will generate. Start with the age requirement and then consider the young person’s needs. For adult services, prevent access rather than using an adult account together.

Does deleting the app delete conversations?

No. Removing an app affects the device. Account closure, stored chats, remembered details, published creations and billing can need separate actions. Therefore, read each confirmation and ask the provider about anything it leaves unclear.

Should a parent read every conversation?

For parents, begin with honest, proportionate involvement and agreed boundaries. Ask about the experience and look at worrying interactions together where appropriate. In addition, explain any safety related monitoring. A young person should know they can seek help without automatically losing every form of digital contact.

Related CODA Guides

Explore AI Character Chat, AI Safety Settings and Resources for Parents.

References

Age requirements and platform rules: provider or device guidance for the account rule or control described above.

Privacy and account information: provider or device guidance for the account rule or control described above.

Set Device Limits with Family Link: provider or device guidance for the account rule or control described above.

Use Screen Time on iPhone or iPad: provider or device guidance for the account rule or control described above.

Review Camera, Microphone and Location Permissions: provider or device guidance for the account rule or control described above.

Reduce Notifications and Protect Sleep: provider or device guidance for the account rule or control described above.

Check App Store Renewals: provider or device guidance for the account rule or control described above.

eSafety advice on chatbot relationships: wider guidance for parents about generated conversations and human support.

About Children of the Digital Age

Children of the Digital Age provides online safety education and training for families, schools and organisations. Our work connects practical guidance with an understanding of online behaviour and cyberpsychology.

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Last updated: 16 October 2026