Teen access to AI characters is halted by Meta

Meta Temporarily Blocks Teens from AI Characters

Meta Platforms Inc. has announced that it will temporarily stop teenagers from accessing artificial intelligence (AI) characters on its platforms, including Instagram and WhatsApp.

In a blog post on Friday, Meta said that in the coming weeks, teens will no longer be able to use AI characters until an updated experience is ready. The restriction will apply to users who have listed their age as under 18, as well as users who claim to be adults but are identified as teens using Meta’s age-prediction technology.

Teen users will still have access to Meta’s AI assistant, but not to the AI characters.

The move comes just a week before Meta, along with TikTok and Google’s YouTube, is set to face trial in Los Angeles over allegations that their platforms harm children.

Other tech companies have taken similar steps amid rising concerns about the impact of AI chatbots on young users. Last year, Character.AI banned teens from using its chatbot services. The company is currently facing multiple lawsuits related to child safety, including a case filed by a mother who claims the platform’s chatbots encouraged her teenage son to take his own life.