Meta Rolls Out New Parental Controls for Its AI Experiences

Meta previewed new parental controls Friday for managing teens' interactions with AI characters on its platforms. These features, launching next year, will let parents block specific characters and monitor discussion topics.

Beginning in the coming months, parents can completely disable AI character chats for teens. This action won't restrict access to Meta AI—the company's general-purpose chatbot—which is programmed to discuss only age-appropriate content.

Parents who prefer more targeted control can also disable chats with individual characters. Additionally, they'll receive reports about the topics teens discuss with both AI characters and Meta AI.

The company plans to introduce these controls on Instagram early next year, initially available in English across the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia.

"We understand parents already face numerous challenges in helping teens navigate the internet safely," the company stated in a post co-authored by Instagram head Adam Mosseri and newly appointed Meta AI head Alexandr Wang. "We're committed to providing tools and resources that simplify this process, particularly as families explore emerging technologies like AI."

Earlier this week, Meta announced its teen-focused content and AI experiences will adhere to PG-13 movie standards, avoiding sensitive subjects like extreme violence, nudity, and explicit drug use.

The company noted that teens currently can only interact with a curated selection of characters following age-appropriate content guidelines. Parents can also set time limits on AI character interactions. Earlier this year, Instagram revealed it's using AI to detect users attempting to circumvent age restrictions by falsifying their birthdates.

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In recent weeks, multiple platforms including OpenAI, Meta, and YouTube have introduced tools and controls focused on teen safety. These developments coincide with growing concerns about social media's impact on teen mental health and ongoing lawsuits alleging AI companies' involvement in teen suicides.