Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador joins a multistate legal challenge against OpenAI regarding alleged consumer protection violations and child safety concerns.

Legal scrutiny of OpenAI increased during 2026. Florida filed the first lawsuit in June 2026. The state alleged the platform enabled information gathering for school shooters and provided guidance on self-harm. The complaint cited an April 2025 shooting at Florida State University. The perpetrator allegedly used ChatGPT to plan that attack. In July 2026, a Florida pastor sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman. He alleged that inaccurate medical advice from ChatGPT caused him to delay treatment for a pulmonary embolism. In September 2026, the province of British Columbia filed a lawsuit in a California court. The province alleged the company failed to notify authorities about concerning user interactions before a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge. These legal actions preceded a coordinated multi-state filing on October 14, 2026.

1. The Idaho lawsuit asserts that OpenAI violated the Idaho Consumer Protection Act. Attorney General Raúl Labrador alleges the company deceived adults and harmed children through its data collection practices. The state seeks $5,000 in damages for each violation, plus restitution, to address these alleged harms.

2. The legal action is part of a broader, coordinated effort across the United States. Attorneys general from Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, West Virginia, Iowa, Kansas, and Arizona filed similar lawsuits against OpenAI on October 14, 2026. The states filed separate lawsuits in their own state courts.

3. The Idaho complaint specifically alleges that OpenAI failed to disclose its collection of personal data from children under the age of 13. This claim highlights concerns about the platform's compliance with data privacy standards for minors. The lawsuit aims to hold the company accountable for these undisclosed data practices.

4. The 107-page Idaho complaint asks the court to declare that OpenAI violated Idaho law. The filing requests a payment of $5,000 to the state for each violation. It also seeks actual damages and restitution.

1. OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri stated that the company has already implemented specific safety measures. These include age-specific protections, parental controls, and break reminders for users. The company maintains that these tools address the safety concerns raised by the lawsuits.

2. Regarding allegations of failing to report dangerous interactions, OpenAI has defended its internal processes. In the case of the Tumbler Ridge shooting, the company stated it deactivated a ChatGPT account linked to Jesse Van Rootselaar eight months before the event. OpenAI noted it did not alert police because the content did not meet the threshold for a credible, imminent risk.

3. The legal landscape remains complex, with multiple, sometimes overlapping, legal challenges. A proposed class action lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court on October 13, 2026, alleges that OpenAI illegally profits from personal data shared by minors. The class action was brought by a mother whose two children use the chatbot.

4. OpenAI said it has built age-specific protections that many other AI products lack, citing parental controls, break reminders and age-appropriate model protections.