tech
January 23, 2026
Meta pauses teen access to AI characters as it develops a specially tailored version
Meta will developed new versions of AI characters that will give age-appropriate responses
TL;DR
- Meta is pausing teens' access to AI characters globally across all its apps.
- The company is developing a special version of AI characters specifically for teens.
- This move follows a lawsuit in New Mexico accusing Meta of inadequate child protection.
- Meta previously rolled out parental controls and previewed features for monitoring AI character interactions.
- New teen-specific AI characters will include built-in parental controls and age-appropriate responses.
- Social media companies, including Meta, are facing increased scrutiny from regulators regarding teen safety.
- Other AI companies like Character.AI and OpenAI have also implemented changes for teen users.