tech
April 29, 2026
School-shooting lawsuits accuse OpenAI of hiding violent ChatGPT users
Lawsuits: OpenAI didn’t report ChatGPT user to cops to protect Altman, IPO.
TL;DR
- OpenAI faces lawsuits alleging negligence in preventing a deadly mass shooting by a ChatGPT user.
- Internal safety teams flagged the user as a credible threat eight months before the shooting, but OpenAI allegedly overruled recommendations to notify police.
- The lawsuits claim OpenAI's decision was motivated by user privacy concerns and a desire to avoid negative publicity before its IPO.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman apologized for not alerting law enforcement and promised to enhance safety protocols.
- Families of victims are suing in California, seeking accountability from OpenAI and Sam Altman.
- The lawsuits allege OpenAI's policies and customer support inadvertently help banned users re-register, potentially facilitating further misuse.
- OpenAI has stated it has a zero-tolerance policy for violence and has strengthened its safeguards.
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