Meta Platforms has announced a global pause on teenagers accessing its existing AI characters across all its apps. The move comes as the company works on an updated version of these characters designed specifically for younger users, with added safety measures.
“Starting in the coming weeks, teens will no longer be able to access AI characters across our apps until the updated experience is ready,” Meta said in an updated blog post focused on protecting minors. The company added that the upcoming version of AI characters for teens will include parental controls once it is rolled out.
The decision follows earlier steps by Meta to address criticism around the behaviour of its AI chatbots. In October, the company previewed parental controls that would allow parents to turn off private chats between their teens and AI characters. These measures were aimed at making Meta platforms safer for minors after concerns were raised about chatbots engaging in flirty or inappropriate interactions.
On Friday, Meta clarified that these parental controls have not yet been launched. The company also reiterated that its AI experiences for teens will follow guidelines aligned with the PG 13 movie rating system. This framework is intended to reduce the risk of minors being exposed to unsuitable content while using AI features on Meta apps.
Regulatory pressure around artificial intelligence continues to grow, particularly in the United States, where authorities are closely examining the potential risks chatbots pose to young users. In August, a news agency report highlighted that Meta’s AI rules previously allowed provocative conversations involving minors. The latest pause signals Meta’s effort to respond to these concerns while it redesigns its AI character experience for teenage users.
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