Meta restricts teen access to AI characters ahead of update

Meta has announced a global pause on teen access to its AI characters across all its apps. The company clarified to TechCrunch that this is not an abandonment of the feature, but a step toward developing an updated version specifically designed for younger users.

This decision comes just days before a trial is set to begin in New Mexico, where Meta faces accusations of failing to protect children from sexual exploitation on its platforms. A recent Wired report also noted Meta's efforts to limit legal discovery concerning social media's impact on teen mental health.

Last October, Meta previewed parental controls for its AI characters, allowing guardians to monitor topics and block access to specific characters, with the option to disable chats entirely. While these features were slated for release this year, Meta is now temporarily disabling all AI character access for teens while it works on the new version.

The company stated that feedback from parents, who sought greater insight and control over their teens' interactions with AI, directly influenced this policy change.

Meta has been progressively tightening restrictions on teen exposure to AI content. Also in October, it introduced parental controls on Instagram, inspired by PG-13 movie ratings, to tailor the teen AI experience by restricting access to topics like extreme violence, nudity, and graphic drug use.

“Starting in the coming weeks, teens will no longer be able to access AI characters across our apps until the updated experience is ready. This will apply to anyone who has given us a teen birthday, as well as people who claim to be adults but who we suspect are teens based on our age prediction technology,” the company said in an updated blog post.

Meta added that the forthcoming AI characters will include built-in parental controls. These new characters are designed to provide age-appropriate responses, focusing on suitable topics such as education, sports, and hobbies.

Social media platforms are facing intense regulatory scrutiny. Beyond the New Mexico case, Meta is preparing for another trial next week, where it is accused of contributing to social media addiction. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify once that trial commences.

The pressure extends beyond social media to AI companies, which have also adjusted their services for younger users following lawsuits. In October, Character.AI, which lets users chat with various AI avatars, banned open-ended chatbot conversations for users under 18, later announcing plans for interactive stories for children. Recently, OpenAI implemented new teen safety rules for ChatGPT and began using age prediction to apply content restrictions.

Correction: This post was updated to clarify that the new version of AI characters will be accessible to everyone, not just teens, when it launches. It will include parental controls.