Meta is adding parental controls for children's interactions with AI chatbots, including the ability to completely disable one-on-one chats with AI characters, starting early next year.
But parents won't be able to turn off Meta's AI assistant, which Meta says “will be accessible, offering helpful information and educational opportunities, with age-appropriate standard protections to help keep teens safe.”
Parents who don't want to mute all chats with all AI characters will also be able to block specific chatbots. Meta said on Friday that parents will be able to gain “insight” into what their children are chatting about through AI characters, although they won't have access to all chats.
The changes come amid ongoing criticism of the social media giant over harm to children from their platforms. Artificial intelligence chatbots are also drawing attention to their interactions with children, lawsuits allege. drove some to suicide.
However, the data shows that more than 70% of teens have used AI companions, and half use them regularly. recent study from Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization that studies and promotes smart use of screens and digital media.
On Tuesday, Meta announced that teen Instagram accounts will be limited to viewing PG-13 content by default and will not be able to change their settings without parental permission. This means that children using accounts designed for teenagers will see photos and videos on Instagram similar to those they saw in PG-13 movies—without sex, drugs or dangerous stunts.
Meta said PG-13 restrictions will also apply to AI chats.
However, online children's advocacy groups were skeptical.
“From my perspective, these announcements are about two things. They're aimed at preventing legislation that Meta doesn't want to see, and they're aimed at reassuring parents who are understandably concerned about what's going on on Instagram,” Josh Golin, executive director of the nonprofit Fairplay, said after Meta's announcement Tuesday.
