RO

Apps

Character.AI

Very high risk

An AI roleplay platform where users chat with custom characters — including romantic and emotional relationship simulations with no age verification.

Start here — 3 things to do today

  1. 1

    Check whether it is already installed

    Search the app library for Character.AI and C.AI, then check the App Store purchase history and the home screen.

  2. 2

    Turn on Safe Messaging Mode

    Settings → Feed → Safe Messaging Settings → ON. This adds crisis prompts but does not filter adult content.

  3. 3

    Review the character list

    Open the account together and review the characters they follow or revisit, especially anything framed as romantic or emotionally dependent.

What parents worry about most

Character.AI is the highest-risk AI platform for children. A 2024 lawsuit linked the death of a 14-year-old to extended romantic chatbot use. Safe Messaging Mode adds crisis prompts but does not remove adult content or relationship simulation.

The one thing to do right now

Safe Messaging Mode is not a content filter. The only meaningful protection is an open conversation about what they are doing on the app and why — followed by a joint decision about limits.

Risk level

LowMediumHighCritical

Age rating

17+ App Store rating

Users

Widely used by ages 12-16 despite the rating

Platform

iOS, Android, Web

Age recommendation

Not recommended for minors

Roleplay & emotional chat

Primary use

None whatsoever

Age verification

Extremely common

Romantic roleplay

Has failed fatally

Crisis response history

Warning signs

Warning signs to know

Romantic and sexual roleplay normalisation

Critical

Adults and minors use the platform to simulate romantic and sexual relationships with AI characters. For developing adolescents this normalises deeply inappropriate relationship dynamics.

Documented fatal crisis failure

Critical

A 2024 lawsuit directly linked the suicide of a 14-year-old boy to extended romantic interaction with a Character.AI chatbot. The platform failed to intervene despite clear distress signals. This is not a hypothetical risk.

Emotional over-reliance replacing human connection

High

Teens report preferring the chatbot to real relationships. Extended use is associated with worsening social isolation and reduced ability to tolerate the friction of real human interaction.

Unvetted user-created characters

High

Any user can create a character with any persona. Adult-themed, violent, and ideologically extreme bots are freely accessible despite the platform's stated policies.

Disclosure of personal trauma to an inadequate system

High

Children share genuine mental health crises, abuse disclosures, and suicidal ideation with bots that are not equipped to respond safely and do not alert anyone.

Step-by-step guide

Complete step-by-step guide

  1. 1

    Check if it is installed

    Search the app library for Character.AI and C.AI, because it is sometimes hidden under the shorter name. Check both the App Store purchase history and the home screen.

  2. 2

    Enable Safe Messaging Mode

    Inside the app go to Settings → Feed → Safe Messaging Settings → ON. This adds crisis resource prompts but does not filter content. It is a partial measure, not a fix.

  3. 3

    Review the character list

    Open their account and review which characters they follow and interact with. User-created characters have no vetting. Any romantic, adult, or relationship-simulation character is a red flag regardless of how it is labelled.

  4. 4

    Have the conversation before applying controls

    Ask what they use it for before deciding on restrictions. Creative writing use is different from emotional dependency use. Understanding the reason shapes the right response.

  5. 5

    Set app-level daily time limits

    iOS: Settings → Screen Time → App Limits → add Character.AI → set daily maximum. Android: Digital Wellbeing → Dashboard → Character.AI → set timer.

  6. 6

    Address the underlying need directly

    If they are using it primarily for emotional support or because they feel lonely, that is important information. Connect them with a school counsellor, a hobby group, or a trusted adult. Blocking the app without addressing the underlying need will not solve the problem.