On Friday, Meta offered a first look at new parental controls designed for teens’ interactions with AI characters on its platforms. Scheduled for release next year, these tools will let parents restrict access to specific AI characters and keep an eye on the subjects being discussed.
In the near future, parents will have the option to completely disable AI character chats for their teens. However, this won’t prevent teens from using the Meta AI chatbot, which is programmed to only engage in conversations suitable for their age group.
Parents will also have the flexibility to block chats with specific AI characters if they want more targeted control. Additionally, they’ll be able to view details about the topics their teens are discussing with both AI characters and Meta AI.
Meta stated that these parental controls will be introduced on Instagram at the start of next year, initially available in English for users in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia.
“We understand that parents already face many challenges when it comes to helping their teens navigate the online world safely, and we’re dedicated to offering practical tools and resources to make this easier, especially as new technologies like AI emerge,” wrote Instagram chief Adam Mosseri and newly named Meta AI lead Alexandr Wang in a company post.
Earlier this week, Meta announced that its content and AI features for teens will adhere to PG-13 movie guidelines, steering clear of sensitive material such as intense violence, nudity, or explicit drug references.
The company further noted that, at present, teens can only interact with a select group of AI characters that comply with age-appropriate standards. Parents are also able to set limits on how much time their teens spend chatting with AI characters. Earlier this year, Instagram revealed it is leveraging AI to catch users who try to bypass age restrictions by misrepresenting their age on the platform.
In recent weeks, several companies—including OpenAI, Meta, and YouTube—have launched new safety features and controls aimed at protecting teens. These updates come as concerns mount over social media’s effects on teen mental health and as AI companies face lawsuits alleging their role in teen suicides.
