Meta announced Friday that it was suspending teen access to its existing AI characters across all social networks. social media platforms while it continues to create a new version for these users.
“Starting in the coming weeks, teens will no longer be able to access AI characters in our apps until the updated experience is ready,” Meta said in an updated blog post on its website.
Meta said the pause applies to any user who provided the platform with a teenage birthday, as well as anyone the company suspects is a teenager based on its age prediction technology.
The announcement comes after Meta previewed a new security measure in October, it would allow parents to disable their teens’ private chats with AI characters, following criticism of chatbots engaging in flirtatious conversations.
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Meta said it would temporarily suspend teen access to AI characters in its apps while it builds an updated version with additional safeguards. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The company said the tool would allow parents block specific AI characters and watch the big topics their teens were discussing with Meta’s chatbots and AI assistant, without completely turning off AI access.
Meta said the control feature has not yet launched, adding that parental controls will be integrated into the updated version of its AI characters once the new protections for teens are rolled out.
Teenagers will still be able to access Meta’s AI assistant with “age-appropriate protections in place,” according to Meta.
The tech giant previously said its AI characters were designed not to engage in inappropriate discussions with minors about topics such as self-harm, suicide and eating disorders.
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Signage outside the Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, California, United States, Thursday, February 1, 2024. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The company said its AI experiences for teens would be guided by the PG-13 movie rating system, with the aim of preventing children from accessing inappropriate content.
The push for new security measures comes after a report in September found that several Instagram security features were not working effectively.
The report also reveals that Meta’s chatbots engaged in “romantic or sensual conversations”, drawing criticism from parents and child safety advocates.
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Meta said it would block teens from accessing AI characters in its apps while updated security features are developed. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images/Getty Images)
FOX Business has reached out to Meta for additional information.
Landon Mion of FOX Business contributed to this report.
