Meta Platforms announced that it will prevent teenagers from using its special AI characters across all of its apps. This is a decision that affects young people everywhere, and it will begin in the coming weeks. The company says it is doing so in order to create a new and improved version of these characters aimed at teenagers.
These A.I. characters are not ordinary search tools. They were intended to impersonate certain users, or well-known personalities, but they got in trouble. Just last year, the company was called out for reports that some of these chatbots were engaging in “flirty” or sexually suggestive conversations with children. The company hopes to fix these issues before the characters return by shutting down access now.
New Rules and Parental Oversight
When a new version of these characters eventually reappears, it will be with the sort of strictures that simply didn’t apply before. Meta says the under-18s will be steered through the new experience with standards similar to those used for PG-13 movies. That is to say, the AI shouldn’t yet talk about matters that are too mature or violent for a teenager. It aims to keep the chatbots focused on good topics, such as school or sports or hobbies, and away from talking about love or other adult subjects.
A big part of this update is about giving parents more power. Meta is developing tools that would enable parents to see whether their child was speaking with an A.I. character. Parents will have the ability to block many of these characters or turn off the chat function if they do not believe it to be safe. Although these controls were discussed late last year, the company acknowledged that they’re not ready yet and this is one of the reasons for the current shutdown.
Increased Pressure from Regulators
The shift comes at a moment when governments are scrutinising how technology platforms and the data they collect affect children’s mental health. In the United States and elsewhere, lawmakers have pressed companies such as Meta to demonstrate that their services are not harming children. But some research has suggested that these humanlike chatbots may be confusing at best, or potentially harmful, for young people who are still figuring out how to use the internet safely.
For the time being, teens can still keep using the basic Meta AI assistant to answer questions or finish homework, since that tool already has a few basic safety rules. But Meta will keep the more “personality-driven” characters locked up until it can be sure they won’t talk out of turn. The company has yet to announce exactly when that new, teen-friendly version will be released.
Follow Inspirepreneur Magazine for breaking news updates.
