Meta Suspends Teen Interaction with AI Characters

Meta has decided to pause teen access to AI characters worldwide across its suite of apps. The company said the suspension will affect anyone who has provided a teen birthdate or who is suspected of being a teen based on Meta’s age‑prediction technology. This temporary measure is intended to give Meta time to develop an updated version of its AI characters that incorporates stronger safety features.

Development of a New, Safer AI Experience

According to Meta, the forthcoming AI characters will include built‑in parental controls and will be designed to deliver age‑appropriate responses. The new characters are expected to stay within topics such as education, sports and hobbies, avoiding content that parents have flagged as unsuitable. When the updated experience is ready, it will be available to all users, not just teens.

Parental Controls and Feedback

Meta has previously previewed parental‑control tools that let parents monitor conversation topics and block access to certain AI characters. Parents will also have the option to completely turn off chats with AI characters. The company said it heard from parents that they wanted more insight and control over their teens’ interactions, which prompted the current pause and the development of enhanced controls.

Broader Industry Context

The decision comes amid heightened scrutiny of social‑media platforms over teen safety and mental‑health impacts. Regulators and courts are examining how platforms protect younger users from harmful content. Other AI and social‑media companies have also introduced or tightened safety rules for teen users, reflecting a broader industry shift toward more protective measures.

Next Steps

Meta indicated that the pause will remain in place until the updated AI characters are ready for release. The company has not provided a specific timeline for the rollout, but emphasized that the new experience will include robust parental controls and age‑appropriate content guidelines.

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