Exploring Families' Use and Mediation of Generative AI: A Multi-User Perspective
Shirley Zhang, Dakota Sullivan, Jennica Li, Bengisu Cagiltay, Bilge Mutlu, Heather Kirkorian, Kassem Fawaz
TL;DR
This study investigates how families use and mediate Generative AI (GenAI) in a multi-user context, revealing risks for children and gaps in parental controls. Using semi-structured interviews with 12 U.S. families sharing a ChatGPT account, the authors identify five core themes and propose a Family-GenAI Mediation Model linking mediation strategies, perceived risks/opportunities, and contextual factors. They document diverse mediation patterns (instructive, restrictive, co-use, supervision) and illustrate family-specific configurations, including co-use as a potential facilitator of family bonding alongside concerns about ethics and over-reliance. The work offers design implications for GenAI platforms—emphasizing parental controls, transparency, and family-oriented interfaces—to enhance safety while preserving educational and collaborative value. Overall, the paper extends family mediation theory to GenAI and suggests directions for future work on tailored safety tools for families.
Abstract
Generative AI (GenAI) platforms, such as ChatGPT, have gained popularity among the public due to their ease of access, use, and support of educational and creative activities. Despite these benefits, GenAI poses unique risks for families, such as lacking sufficient safeguards tailored to protect children under 13 years of age and not offering parental control features. This study explores how parents mediate their children's use of GenAI and the factors/processes that shape this mediation. Through analyzing semi-structured interviews with 12 families, we identified ways in which families used and mediated GenAI and factors that influenced parents' GenAI mediation strategies. We contextualize our findings with a modified model of family mediation strategies, drawing from previous family media and mediation frameworks. We provide insights for future research on Family-GenAI interactions and highlight the need for more robust protective measures on GenAI platforms for families.