META
This is Meta admitting it rushed AI for teens
Meta is pausing teen access to its AI characters while it builds a new version of the feature.
The change, announced as an update to an October blog post, will roll out in the coming weeks and only affects teenage users.
Meta says it is redesigning its AI characters for both adults and teens and chose to pause teen access rather than add parental controls to a system it plans to replace.
When the new version launches for teens, parental controls will be included from the start.
Quick takeaways:
Teen access to current AI characters is paused during a system rebuild
New AI characters for teens will launch with parental controls built in
Some parental insight tools are still marked as “coming soon”
Parents asked. Meta blinked
The move follows feedback from parents asking for more visibility and control over teen interactions with AI, according to reporting from TechCrunch.
Meta had previously planned tools that allow parents to block one-on-one chats, restrict specific AI characters, and see high-level insights into conversation topics.
Some of these features are still in development, including insight-sharing tied to Meta’s AI assistant.
The update comes alongside other teen safety changes Meta introduced last year, including tighter content limits on Instagram teen accounts.
Can we just hurry up and ban social media for kids, please? - MV