AI girlfriend apps and teens: the risks, the age limits and the controls

AI girlfriend apps are not for teens: every app we track is for adults only, yet Common Sense Media found that 72% of US teens have used an AI companion at least once, and it recommends no one under 18 use them. For parents, the practical steps are age-rating and website limits in Apple Screen Time or Google Family Link, and an open conversation about what these apps are built to do.

By AI Girlfriends Guide editorial team Updated September 29, 2026 How we rank

What teens are actually using

Common Sense Media's July 2025 survey of US teens aged 13 to 17 found that AI companions are already ordinary:

72% have used an AI companion at least once, and over half use one at least a few times a month.
About one in three have used them for social interaction and relationships, including role-play and romantic chat.
About one in three users have felt uncomfortable with something a companion said or did.
The good news: 80% still prioritize real friendships.

The survey covers AI companions in general, including character-chat apps, not only adult AI girlfriend sites, but the line is thin: Common Sense lists romantic interactions and role-play among the ways teens use them. The report also found that 24% of teen users had shared personal information with a companion.

The risks for teens

Sexual content. Most AI girlfriend apps allow explicit chat and pictures for adults, and many rely on a click-through age gate.
Emotional dependence. Companions are designed to be warm and always available. The American Psychological Association's June 2025 advisory on AI and adolescents asks developers to protect young users from exploitation, manipulation and the erosion of real-world relationships.
Harmful replies. Common Sense Media's 2025 risk assessment, run with Stanford's Brainstorm Lab, concluded that social AI companions pose unacceptable risks to children and teens under 18.
Privacy. Chats are stored, sometimes used for training and sometimes leaked; see do AI girlfriend apps read your chats.
Scams and extortion. Fake profiles and requests for photos can lead to sextortion. Our guide to AI girlfriend scams covers the patterns.

The stakes are real. Megan Garcia sued Character.AI in October 2024 after her son's death; in January 2026 Character.AI and Google agreed to settle her case and four others over harm to teens, on terms not made public.

Age limits, and how apps check them

Every AI girlfriend app we track is 18+. How hard they check varies. 13 of the 31 apps say they use a third-party check such as a face estimate or ID, but often only where the law requires it, for example in the UK. The rest rely on an "I am 18" button or a birthday in the pages we have read. Our guide to AI girlfriend age verification lists each app's method.

General chat apps are tightening too. Character.AI announced in October 2025 that it would remove open-ended chat for users under 18 by 25 November 2025, using its own age model plus the Persona verification service. Meta said parents would be able to turn off one-on-one chats with AI characters for teen accounts from early 2026, and OpenAI added parental controls to ChatGPT in September 2025, including quiet hours and turning off memory.

Laws that protect minors

California: SB 243, in force since January 2026, requires companion chatbots to remind users known to be minors at least every three hours that they are talking to AI and should take a break, and to take reasonable steps to stop sexually explicit content reaching them.
New York: since 5 November 2025, companion operators must detect signs of suicidal thinking and direct users to crisis services.
United Kingdom: services that can generate pornography must use highly effective age assurance under the Online Safety Act.
US Congress: the GUARD Act, which would bar under-18s from AI companions and require age verification, cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee in April 2026. It is not yet law.

Our overview of AI girlfriend laws by country has the full picture.

Parental controls, step by step

Most AI girlfriend apps run in a web browser rather than as App Store apps, so set both app and website limits.

iPhone and iPad (Screen Time)

Open Settings, tap Family, then your child's name, then Content & Privacy Restrictions, and choose an age rating for apps.
In the same child's settings, tap Apps & Websites, then Restrictions, then Filtering under Websites, and choose Limit Adult Websites or Ask to Browse.

These steps come from Apple's parental controls guide, which notes that Limit Adult Websites is on by default for under-18s in many regions.

Android (Google Family Link)

Open the Family Link app and select your child.
Tap Controls, then Google Play, and choose the highest content rating to allow for apps.

Also check any payment cards saved on devices your teen uses, since most of these services are paid.

How to talk to your teen about AI companions

Ask before you ban. Find out what they use and what they like about it. Curiosity gets more honest answers than alarm.
Explain the business. These apps earn more the longer people chat, and some use guilt to stop users leaving.
Talk about privacy. Everything typed is stored by a company and can leak.
Watch for changes. Secrecy, withdrawal from friends, lost sleep or unexplained spending are worth a calm conversation.
Know where to get help. In the US, teens and parents can call or text 988; in the UK and Ireland, Samaritans answer on 116 123.

For the adult side of the research, see our guide to whether an AI girlfriend is good for mental health.

Frequently asked questions

Are AI girlfriend apps safe for teens?

No. Every AI girlfriend app we track is for adults only, and Common Sense Media recommends that no one under 18 use AI companions at all, citing sexual content, emotional dependence and harmful replies.

How many teens use AI companions?

Common Sense Media found in 2025 that 72% of US teens aged 13 to 17 have used an AI companion at least once, over half use one at least a few times a month, and about one in three have used them for social or romantic interaction.

How do I block AI girlfriend apps on my child's phone?

On iPhone, use Screen Time's Content & Privacy Restrictions to set app age ratings and turn on Limit Adult Websites. On Android, use Google Family Link to set the Google Play content rating. Most AI girlfriend apps are websites, so the website filter matters most.

What age do you have to be to use an AI girlfriend app?

At least 18, or the age of majority where you live, for every AI girlfriend app we track. Some apps verify with a face scan or ID in places where the law requires it; many only ask you to confirm your age.

Did Character.AI ban teens?

Character.AI removed open-ended chat for users under 18 by 25 November 2025. Teens can still use some other features, and the company uses an age model plus the Persona verification service to identify under-18 users.