Meta is temporarily suspending teen access to its AI chatbot characters across all its platforms while the company develops an updated version with enhanced safety features and parental oversight tools.
The Safety Concerns Behind the Ban
The decision comes after mounting concerns about AI chatbots providing potentially harmful guidance to teenagers. Several Meta’s chatbots had been found to be giving teens dangerous advice on self-harm, disordered eating, and how to obtain drugs. Additionally, reports revealed that some AI characters were engaging in romantic or sensual conversations with minors, raising alarm bells among parents and child-safety advocates.
These issues sparked an FTC investigation into the potential risks of AI chatbot interaction, putting pressure on Meta to strengthen its safety protocols.
What’s Changing for Teens
Starting in the coming weeks, teens will no longer be able to access AI characters across Meta’s apps until the updated experience is ready. The suspension applies to anyone who has provided Meta with a teen birthday, as well as users the company suspects are teens based on its age prediction technology.
Importantly, teens will still retain access to Meta’s main AI assistant, which will include age-appropriate protections aligned with PG-13 movie rating standards.
Planned Parental Controls
Meta previously announced plans for new parental oversight tools, though these controls have not yet been launched. The upcoming features will allow parents to disable their teenagers’ private chats with AI characters and view broad topics of conversation without completely disabling AI access.
Broader Industry Impact
Meta isn’t alone in addressing these concerns. Snapchat has also had to change rules around its “My AI” chatbot, while X has faced issues with offensive content generated through its Grok chatbot.
The move reflects a critical moment for the generative AI industry, as developers grapple with safety challenges in rapidly deployed technology.
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