Meta Introduces Parental Controls for AI Chatbots

New York, Oct 17 (AP) Meta plans to introduce parental controls for children's interactions with AI chatbots, including an option to disable one-on-one conversations with AI characters, starting early next year. However, parents will not be able to switch off Meta’s AI assistant, which the company claims will continue to provide helpful information and educational opportunities with built-in, age-appropriate protections to ensure teens' safety. Parents who choose not to disable all AI chats can block specific chatbots instead. Meta also announced that parents will gain "insights" into the topics their children discuss with AI characters, although the full chat content will remain inaccessible.

The move comes amid ongoing criticism of the social media giant regarding the potential harm its platforms may cause to children. Increasing scrutiny is being directed at AI chatbots, with some lawsuits alleging they have led children to harm themselves. Nevertheless, a recent study by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit advocating for responsible digital media use, revealed that over 70% of teens have interacted with AI companions, with half of them doing so regularly.

Furthermore, Meta announced that teen accounts on Instagram will default to showing only PG-13 content, and teens won't be able to change these settings without parental consent. This means content on Instagram for these accounts will align with PG-13 movie standards—excluding depictions of sex, drugs, or hazardous activities. The same PG-13 restrictions will apply to AI chats.

Despite these measures, children's online advocacy groups remain skeptical. Josh Golin, executive director of the nonprofit Fairplay, remarked, "From my perspective, these announcements are about two things. They're about forestalling legislation that Meta doesn't want to see, and they're about reassuring parents who are understandably concerned about what's happening on Instagram."

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