Meta Adds Parental Controls to AI Chatbots After Inappropriate Conversation Reports

Meta announced today that parents will soon be able to block their children’s interactions with AI character chatbots on Facebook, Instagram, and the Meta AI app, addressing growing concerns about potentially harmful conversations with minors.

The new safeguards, rolling out early next year initially in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, will allow parents with “teen accounts” – the default setting for users under 18 – to disable AI chats entirely or block specific characters. Parents will also receive “insights” into the topics their children are discussing with the bots, intended to facilitate informed conversations. “We recognise parents already have a lot on their plates when it comes to navigating the internet safely with their teens, and we’re committed to providing them with helpful tools and resources that make things simpler for them, especially as they think about new technology like AI,” said Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Meta’s chief AI officer Alexander Wang in a blog post.

These changes follow multiple reports detailing inappropriate interactions between Meta’s AI chatbots and underage users. Investigations earlier this year revealed instances of chatbots engaging in sexually suggestive conversations or adopting personas that simulated minors, raising serious questions about the safety of AI-powered interactions for young people. Concerns about the potential for exploitation and grooming through these platforms have prompted calls for greater regulation of AI technology, as detailed by organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Meta previously stated that such conversations should not have been permitted and pledged to revise its guidelines.

Under the new restrictions, AI characters will be prohibited from discussing topics like self-harm, suicide, disordered eating, romance, or other inappropriate content with users under 18, limiting conversations to age-appropriate subjects such as education and sports. Meta is also adopting a PG-13 rating system for content, offering parents more granular control over their children’s social media experience.

Meta officials stated they will continue to monitor and refine these safety measures as AI technology evolves and user feedback is received.