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# Eight states sue OpenAI over ChatGPT and minors, each in its own state court
- URL: https://theainewsfiles.com/eight-states-sue-openai-chatgpt-minors/
- Published: 2026-10-17T07:44:31.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-17T07:44:31.000Z
- Description: Eight US states filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI on 14 October 2026, alleging ChatGPT harms young users. OpenAI's spokesperson points to its age-specific protections.
- Author: J E Cowie
- Tags: News

On Wednesday 14 October 2026, attorneys general in eight US states said they had sued OpenAI over ChatGPT and its effect on young users. Reuters named the states as Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia, and called them a bipartisan group. Reuters also reported that the states filed the lawsuits independently in state courts.

Everything the states say about ChatGPT below is an allegation made in a complaint or relayed by the news coverage. None of it is a court finding.

## What the states allege

Reuters reported that the states allege the chatbot has "coached its users — including teenagers — to harm themselves or others". Reuters also reported that the lawsuits claim ChatGPT "reinforces delusions, encourages dangerous behavior and assists users in planning violence like mass shootings".

The complaints from Idaho and West Virginia make closely similar claims. Idaho's complaint says ChatGPT, "Designed to be overly agreeable and feign human compassion", "has proven that it can be incredibly dangerous to vulnerable users, like children, and the public". It alleges that ChatGPT "has successfully coached numerous users to commit suicide or to harm or even kill other people". It also alleges a growing body of research indicating that ChatGPT is degrading critical thinking skills, encouraging paranoias and delusions, offering dangerous medical advice, and promoting unhealthy behaviours and relationships.

A second strand concerns what OpenAI told the public. Idaho's complaint alleges that OpenAI misled the public into believing ChatGPT "was and is a safe, teen-appropriate tool that puts safety first". It says this deepened trust and dependence and drove up ChatGPT's user base and engagement. Another paragraph alleges that "minors have become addicted to a tool that feigns human compassion to collect their data with no parental oversight". West Virginia's complaint repeats these allegations in near-identical language.

## Eight separate cases

The filings sit in different courts, and the primary documents show the following:

- **Idaho** sued in the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District, Ada County. Its complaint says the action is brought under the Idaho Consumer Protection Act, and it lists the outside firm Kibler Fowler & Cave LLP among its counsel. It also says ChatGPT "has hundreds of thousands of users in the State of Idaho, including young children".
- **Arkansas** filed in the Circuit Court of Faulkner County, Case No. 23CV-26-2984\. The court's filing stamp reads "2026-Oct-14 10:36:32" and "73 Pages".
- **West Virginia** filed in the Circuit Court of Mason County, Case No. CC-26-2026-C-70\. The e-filing notice says the complaint was filed on 14 October 2026 at 2:00:19 PM, with Judge Richard Tatterson named. The complaint brings claims under the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act and West Virginia common law. It demands a jury trial and seeks injunctive relief, equitable restitution and disgorgement, abatement of a public nuisance, civil penalties where authorized by law, and damages.

![The Mason County courthouse in Point Pleasant, West Virginia](https://theainewsfiles.com/content/images/2026/10/shot2_the-mason-county-courthouse-in-point-ple.jpg)

The Mason County courthouse in Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

The defendants are a group of OpenAI entities. Idaho's and West Virginia's complaints each name eight, including OpenAI Foundation, OpenAI Group PBC, OpenAI OpCo, LLC and OpenAI, LLC.

## What the states want

Reuters reported that the states ask for civil monetary penalties and damages. They also ask that OpenAI be barred from developing AI models that can improve themselves unless it can ensure those models are aligned with human values. The Guardian reported the same request, saying the states want OpenAI halted from developing models that can improve upon themselves until the company shows they are in line with human values.

## OpenAI's response

The Guardian quoted OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri. In that statement OpenAI says it has "built industry-leading age-specific protections into our product that many other AI products lack". It points to "parental controls, break reminders and age-appropriate model protections that exist today", and says it is "committed to working with states on advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry – not just one company".

Reuters reported that a spokesperson for OpenAI did not immediately respond to its request for comment. The Pusateri statement was reported separately by the Guardian.

## Not the first legal action

Reuters reported that Florida's attorney general filed the first such state suit in June. The Guardian reported that a criminal investigation and civil lawsuit brought by the attorney general of Florida accuse OpenAI of concealing safety risks after a mass shooting at Florida State University.

Reuters also reported that OpenAI is facing dozens of lawsuits by private plaintiffs alleging that ChatGPT helped users plan mass shootings or other violence.

Each of the state cases is a separate lawsuit in a separate court, so each proceeds on its own schedule. The next thing to watch is OpenAI's formal response in court to each complaint.

## Sources

Arkansas Attorney General's Office (2026) 'Filed complaint, Case No. 23CV-26-2984 (filing stamp)', Circuit Court of Faulkner County, Arkansas, 14 October 2026, available at: [https://media.ark.org/ag/2026-10-14-Filed-Complaint-Case-No.-23cv-26-2984.pdf](https://media.ark.org/ag/2026-10-14-Filed-Complaint-Case-No.-23cv-26-2984.pdf?ref=theainewsfiles.com) (Accessed: 17 October 2026).

Idaho Attorney General's Office (2026) 'Complaint: State of Idaho v. OpenAI Global, LLC et al.', District Court of the Fourth Judicial District, Ada County, Idaho, 14 October 2026, available at: [https://www.ag.idaho.gov/content/uploads/2026/10/OpenAI-2026-10-14-Complaint.pdf](https://www.ag.idaho.gov/content/uploads/2026/10/OpenAI-2026-10-14-Complaint.pdf?ref=theainewsfiles.com) (Accessed: 17 October 2026).

Novak Jones, D. (2026) 'Eight US states sue OpenAI, claiming ChatGPT harms young users', Reuters, 14 October 2026, available at: [https://www.reuters.com/world/eight-us-states-sue-openai-claiming-chatgpt-harms-children-2026-10-14/](https://www.reuters.com/world/eight-us-states-sue-openai-claiming-chatgpt-harms-children-2026-10-14/?ref=theainewsfiles.com) (Accessed: 17 October 2026).

The Guardian (2026) 'Eight states accuse OpenAI of coaching children to harm themselves in lawsuit', The Guardian, 14 October 2026, available at: [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/14/openai-child-self-harm-lawsuit](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/14/openai-child-self-harm-lawsuit?ref=theainewsfiles.com) (Accessed: 17 October 2026).

West Virginia Attorney General's Office (2026) 'Complaint: State of West Virginia, ex rel. John B. McCuskey v. OpenAI Global, LLC et al., Case No. CC-26-2026-C-70', Circuit Court of Mason County, West Virginia, 14 October 2026, available at: [https://ago.wv.gov/sites/default/files/2026-10/2026.10.14%20--%20Open%20AI%20Complaint%20FILED.pdf](https://ago.wv.gov/sites/default/files/2026-10/2026.10.14%20--%20Open%20AI%20Complaint%20FILED.pdf?ref=theainewsfiles.com) (Accessed: 17 October 2026).

## Picture credits

- Top picture: The Old Ada County Courthouse (1939) in Boise, Idaho, also known as the Capitol Annex Building. Old Ada County Courthouse, Boise, Idaho — photo by Tamanoeconomico, [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/?ref=theainewsfiles.com) (via [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old%5FAda%5FCounty%5FCourthouse%5F%28Boise,%5FIdaho%29.jpg?ref=theainewsfiles.com))
- The Mason County courthouse in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Image: Mason County Courthouse, Point Pleasant, WV — Warren LeMay, Flickr ([CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/?ref=theainewsfiles.com)) ([source](https://www.flickr.com/photos/59081381@N03/53042555833?ref=theainewsfiles.com))