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Hey there, {{first_name | friend}},
On vacation this summer, something unplanned happened: three generations of my family ended up huddled around the kitchen table, phones, iPads, and one laptop scattered around, working through our password security together. Inspired by a New York Times article about “The 4 iPhone Security Settings You Should Turn On Right Now,” my wonderful in-laws, my husband, and my eldest daughter, all worked together to keep our family a little safer online (think password keepers, passkeys, and most importantly, no reused passwords!).
It got me thinking about what else deserves that same kind of table time. If you only tackle one thing with AI this week, make it the safety settings below. They take about five minutes and they matter more than many people realize.
And if you need a little help getting the settings configured for your preferred AI tool, try the tech support prompt below.
3 AI Safety Settings to Check Now
If you use AI tools for family matters, check these 3 things today and consider the bonus tip for ChatGPT users at the bottom.
1. Turn off "Improve the model for everyone"
This setting might be buried in ChatGPT Settings or Claude Data Controls, and it is sometimes on by default. Turning it off means your conversations are not used to train future versions of the tool. It might also show up as “Help improve this tool” and you might not be able to turn it off with a free account.
2. Turn off location permissions
Most AI tools do not need constant access to your location to be useful. If yours is not clearly one that does, turn it off or set it to “when using.”
3. Familiarize yourself with incognito or temporary chat
Incognito or temporary chats are more private way to use AI; conversations generally won’t be saved in history, use or update memory, or used to train models. Copies of transcripts will be saved for some duration though (e.g., for up to 30 days for Claude and ChatGPT, and 72 hours for Gemini). You can often find the setting in the top right corner of your app.
Bonus setting for ChatGPT users: Add a trusted contact
If you or your family members are using ChatGPT, consider adding a trusted contact who will be notified if you discuss self-harm with ChatGPT in a way that indicates a serious safety concern. I truly hope none of us ever needs it, but in case someone someone does, I hope they have a trusted contact enabled.
Prompt: Get Tech Support from AI
Every AI tool organizes its settings a little differently, which makes it hard to write a single guide for staying safe. If you get stuck adjusting any of the settings above or want to take your AI safety any further, try this prompt:
Act as my personal tech support assistant. Support me with adjusting privacy settings in [INSERT AI TOOL]. I want to [INSERT GOAL]. Ask me any questions you need about how I am using AI and want to keep my family safe. Format the output as step-by-step instructions to help resolve my issue.
Mom tip: This prompt doesn’t just work for setting up safety settings in AI tools. On vacation this summer, we used it to get tech support to set up a camera for a telehealth visit and to troubleshoot logging in to our streaming apps on a new TV. AI tech support is here for you, whatever you’re working through!
Save the Date for Your Best Self: August 25
Executive coach Carla Greenan and I have delivered our “Your Best Self, Empowered by AI,” workshop for global audiences through organizations like Microsoft. This August, for the first time, we are bringing it home to our community.
Mark your calendar for August 25. Details are coming soon, and as always, this community gets it first!
What else is your family doing to stay safe online? I want to hear about it. Hit reply and let me know.
Until next time,
Sarah
P.S. Living my values means being transparent about my AI use: for this edition, Claude turned my outline into a first draft for review.
I’m Sarah, mom of 3 girls, MBA, and AI strategist. I created AI-Empowered Mom to share practical, responsible ways AI can help lighten the mental load of parenthood. I’m so glad you’re here.
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