Meta introduces parental controls for teen AI chat interactions

Meta is introducing new parental controls for teenagers’ interactions with AI chatbots, including the ability to completely disable one-on-one chats with AI characters starting early next year. The move comes as the social media giant faces mounting criticism over child safety on its platforms and follows lawsuits claiming AI chatbot interactions have contributed to teen suicides.

What you should know: Parents will gain several control options over their teens’ AI interactions, though Meta’s core AI assistant will remain accessible.

• Parents can turn off all one-on-one chats with AI characters entirely or block specific chatbots selectively.
• Meta’s AI assistant will remain available to offer helpful information and educational opportunities, with default, age-appropriate protections in place to help keep teens safe.
• Parents will receive insights about their children’s AI conversations but won’t have access to full chat transcripts.

The bigger picture: These changes are part of Meta’s broader effort to address child safety concerns across its platforms amid regulatory pressure.

• On Tuesday, Meta announced that teen Instagram accounts will be restricted to PG-13 content by default, with parental permission required to change settings.
• The PG-13 restrictions will also apply to AI chats, meaning no content involving sex, drugs, or dangerous stunts.

Why this matters: AI companion usage among teens has become widespread despite growing safety concerns.

• More than 70% of teens have used AI companions and half use them regularly, according to a recent Common Sense Media study.
• The timing suggests Meta is responding to both legal challenges and potential legislation targeting social media companies’ responsibility for child safety.

What critics are saying: Children’s advocacy groups remain skeptical about Meta’s motivations behind these announcements.

• “From my perspective, these announcements are about two things. They’re about forestalling legislation that Meta doesn’t want to see, and they’re about reassuring parents who are understandably concerned about what’s happening on Instagram,” said Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay, a nonprofit advocacy group.