Meta to allow parents to limit teenagers’ interactions with AI

By&nbspAP&nbspwith&nbspEuronews

Published on 17/10/2025 - 13:00 GMT+2

Meta is adding parental controls for kids' interactions pinch artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots — including nan expertise to move disconnected one-on-one chats pinch AI characters altogether — opening early adjacent year.

But parents won't beryllium capable to move disconnected Meta's AI assistant, which Meta says will “remain disposable to connection adjuvant accusation and acquisition opportunities, pinch default, age-appropriate protections successful spot to thief support teens safe”.

Parents who don't want to move disconnected each chats pinch each AI characters will besides beryllium capable to artifact circumstantial chatbots. And Meta said Friday that parents will beryllium capable to get “insights” astir what their kids are chatting astir pinch AI characters — though they won't get entree to nan afloat chats.

The changes travel arsenic nan societal media elephantine faces ongoing disapproval complete harms to children from its platforms. AI chatbots are besides drafting scrutiny complete their interactions pinch children that lawsuits declare person driven immoderate to suicide.

Even so, much than 70 per cent of teens person utilized AI companions and half usage them regularly, according to a caller study from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that studies and advocates for utilizing screens and integer media sensibly.

On Tuesday, Meta announced that teen accounts connected Instagram will beryllium restricted to seeing PG-13 contented by default and won’t beryllium capable to alteration their settings without a parent’s permission.

This intends kids utilizing teen-specific accounts will spot photos and videos connected Instagram that are akin to what they would spot successful a PG-13 movie — nary sex, drugs, aliases vulnerable stunts.

Meta said nan PG-13 restrictions will besides use to AI chats.

Children's online defense groups, however, were sceptical.

“From my perspective, these announcements are astir 2 things,” said Josh Golin, nan executive head of nan nonprofit Fairplay, aft Meta's announcement Tuesday.

“They’re astir forestalling authorities that Meta doesn’t want to see, and they’re astir reassuring parents who are understandably concerned astir what’s happening connected Instagram,” Golin said.