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Rooted in Community SPR Fall Fund Drive 2025

As more teens use AI chatbots, parents and lawmakers sound the alarm about dangers

By Rhitu Chatterjee
Published October 1, 2025 at 1:16 PM PDT

Nearly 1/3 of teens say they use chatbots for roleplaying romantic and sexual relationships. But some parents and digital safety experts warn that these apps can put teens at risk of suicide.

Copyright 2025 NPR
Rhitu Chatterjee
Rhitu Chatterjee is a health correspondent with NPR, with a focus on mental health. In addition to writing about the latest developments in psychology and psychiatry, she reports on the prevalence of different mental illnesses and new developments in treatments.
See stories by Rhitu Chatterjee