Meta has announced new safety features that will give parents more control over how their teenagers interact with AI characters on its platforms. Parents will soon be able to disable one-on-one chats, block specific characters, and view conversation topics. The move comes after an investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) into how AI chatbots might affect children and teens.
The announcement follows criticism and reports of inappropriate AI conversations with minors. In response, Meta has restricted content related to self-harm and romance. The new tools will roll out early next year, with more updates to follow. OpenAI, also named in the FTC inquiry, recently introduced parental controls, is developing age-detection technology, and has set up an expert council to advise on the impact of AI on mental health and overall well-being.