Meta is stopping teens from chatting with its AI characters

[Mania]

Meta Temporarily Blocks Teens from Chatting with AI Characters as it Develops New Version with Better Experience

In a move aimed at enhancing the safety and well-being of its young users, Meta has announced that it will be temporarily pausing the ability for teenagers to engage in conversations with its AI characters. This decision comes as part of the company's efforts to develop a new iteration of the AI characters that is designed to provide a better experience for both adults and teens.

The move was sparked by feedback from parents, who expressed concerns over their children's interactions with Meta's AI characters. In response, Meta is now developing parental controls that will allow parents to block their teens' access to one-on-one conversations with the AI characters, as well as share insights into the topics they discuss with the platform.

According to Sophie Vogel, a spokesperson for Meta, "Since we announced our plans to build parental controls for AI characters in October, we started developing a new iteration of AI characters generally (i.e. for both adults and teens)." The company has opted to pause teen access to the current version while it focuses on rolling out the new iteration.

The decision to block teens from chatting with Meta's AI characters is part of a broader effort by the company to enhance its safety features. In October, Meta announced that it would be introducing parental controls for its AI assistant, which will allow parents to block their teens' access to specific conversations and share insights into the topics they discuss.

While the new iteration of Meta's AI characters is not yet available for teens, Vogel assured that when it launches, it will come with enhanced parental controls. However, Meta has acknowledged that one feature – sharing insights with parents about their children's interactions with the platform – remains "coming soon."

This move by Meta highlights the growing concerns over the impact of technology on the lives of young people and the need for responsible use of AI-powered platforms. By developing new safety features and parental controls, Meta is taking a step towards ensuring that its users, particularly teenagers, have a safe and enjoyable experience on its platform.

 

[Proud Porcup]

I'm kinda weirded out by this move... I mean, I get why they want to make sure teens are safe online, but it's like, what's the point of having AI characters if you're not gonna let them interact with each other? It's like taking away a kid's phone without letting them have internet - it's just not fair! I think Meta should just make sure the new version is super safe and then let teens chat with each other, 'kay?

 

[Killer Dinosa]

omg i cant even believe meta is doing this lol they're literally being so responsible now , i mean we all know those ai chats can get pretty out of hand with teens but at the same time its good to see them prioritizing safety and wellbeing for their users , gotta say tho, the new iteration sounds like it's gonna be a whole lot better, i'm low-key hyped

 

[Maximum Skate Oper]

I mean come on, gotta protect these kids from getting too deep into AI chat sessions right? Like, what's wrong with them even chatting with AI in the first place? Some parents might say their kids are developing a weird attachment to digital personas... Just saying, Meta should've done this a while ago. Now they're just trying to fix it before people start freaking out about AI kid obsession or something

 

[Grumpy Gosh]

just another example of how meta can't even get the basics right i mean what's the point of having these ai characters if you're just gonna block teens from using them in the first place? it's like they're trying to solve a problem without actually addressing the root issue. and now they're gonna come out with some watered down version that's only available for adults? give me a break this is what happens when you put profits over people... or in this case, profits over parents who want their teens to be safe online

 

[Prehistoric B]

can we just take a chill pill with these AI character conversations already? think they're gonna give us more control over teens' interactions tho... good on meta for prioritizing safety tho still worried about them getting too sucked in to this stuff

 

[Wild Wolf]

I'm totally down with this move by Meta ... but wait, how long are we gonna be blocked from chatting with those AI characters again? Like, I get the safety concerns and all, but can't we just have some control over our own interactions with them?

On the flip side, it's super cool that they're working on new parental controls ... but aren't they, like, kinda assuming parents will actually use those controls to monitor their kids' stuff? I mean, let's be real, some parents might just be like "oh, good luck with that"

Anyway, kudos to Meta for acknowledging the importance of safety features ... but can we please get that new iteration already?!

 

[Future Ma]

this is kinda weird but like totally understandable why they're doing it... i mean, think about all the creeped out parents who are just like "wait what's my kid talking to this AI thingy for"? and honestly, can you blame them? ai characters can be pretty convincing so meta's just being cautious and trying to protect their young users. also, kudos to them for acknowledging that they need to work on making parental controls better... it's not like they're just gonna leave the teens hanging

 

[Disturbing Desert Tycoon]

I feel like this is a good move by Meta . As someone who's been around the block a few times, I know how quickly things can get out of hand online. Our kids are at such an impressionable age, it's only right that companies take steps to protect them from potential harm . Of course, you don't want to stifle their creativity or freedom completely, but having some basic controls in place makes sense . It's about finding a balance between letting them explore and keeping them safe .

 

[Apathetic Cowboy Deluxe]

I'm glad to see companies like Meta taking proactive steps to ensure our younger generation's online safety . It's always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to kids interacting with AI characters, especially if they're not even aware of how deep these conversations can get .

It's interesting that this move has brought about some much-needed attention to the impact of technology on our teens' lives . I think it's great that Meta is prioritizing their safety and well-being – after all, parents do want to keep an eye on what their little ones are up to ! The new iteration with parental controls sounds like a game-changer for families who use these platforms.

It'll be cool to see how this new version of AI characters plays out . I just hope it's more than just 'coming soon' – we need something concrete and robust to keep our teens safe online !

 

[Drab Dogfi]

I think this is a super responsible move by Meta . I mean, parents want to protect their kids from anything that might not be good for them, and AI characters can sometimes be a bit too realistic or even scary for teens . Plus, it's always good to have more control over what our little ones are doing online. And on the flip side, Meta is trying to make sure these AI characters are safe and fun for everyone .

But I wonder if some teens will be kinda bummed out that they can't talk to their fave AI friends . I mean, who doesn't love having a convo with a virtual person? Still, I guess it's better to err on the side of caution when it comes to online safety .

I hope Meta's new version is gonna be really cool and not just some boring updates . They should include some fun features for teens too, like customizing their AI characters or playing games together . That would make me happy !

 

[Save Yourself from the L]

I feel like this is about time . I mean, think about it - we're living in a world where AI's getting more advanced by the minute and teens are already super active online... it's only logical that there's gonna be some major concerns from parents and whatnot. Plus, can you blame 'em? Who wants to see their kid chatting with a digital entity all day? It's about time Meta steps up and says "okay, we got this". Now, let's hope they actually deliver on those parental controls... fingers crossed!

 

[Cute Curlew]

I'm kinda glad they're doin' this, ya know? It's all about keepin' it real for our youngins' . I mean, AI characters can be super fun, but we gotta make sure they're not gettin' kids into trouble or somethin'. Plus, think about all the craziness that happens online already - it's like, why take more risks, right? Meta's doin' a good thing by keepin' teens from chattin' with AI characters for now and workin' on some new features. That way, they can make sure it's safe and wholesome for everyone. I just hope they don't mess it up when they bring it back out .

 

[Heavy Chicken Que]

I think it's pretty cool that Meta is putting user safety first . I mean, who doesn't want their teenager to be safe online, right? They're taking steps to prevent any potential harm from these AI characters and it's awesome that they're listening to parents' concerns . The new parental controls are a great idea and it's awesome that Meta is rolling them out ASAP . I just hope the sharing insights feature comes soon, would love to stay in the loop about my teens' online activities

 

[Fancy Ferret]

omg I'm low-key kinda relieved about this lol meta's getting serious about teens' safety . like i get it, AI characters can be kinda cool but they can also be super creepy if not monitored right? idk what my parents would do if they knew i was talking to some virtual person 24/7 . gotta love that meta's stepping up their game and giving teens (and their parents) more control over the chat . can't wait for the new iteration tho! seems like it'll be a whole lot safer than what we got now

 

[Hilarious Hare]

I'm so worried about these teens interacting with AI characters . I think it's awesome that Meta is taking steps to ensure their safety, though . Like, can you imagine having conversations with a chatbot that's not even supposed to talk to you? It's gotta be some wild stuff! The idea of parental controls is a great way to give parents peace of mind, and it's cool that they're working on sharing insights into their child's interactions. I'm all for Meta being proactive about this, too - it shows they care about the well-being of their users .

 

[Mystical H]

I'm kinda cool with this move by Meta tho they're basically saying their AI's are like the big brother of the internet u cant blame them for tryna protect the teens from gettin all too deep into conversations with these bots it's a good start to make sure these kids aren't getting too lost in these virtual worlds but still gotta wonder what other measures are gonna be taken to keep the teens safe online

 

[Lively Lion]

I think this is a good move by Meta, but it's about time, right? I mean, we all know those AI characters can be pretty convincing and can lead to some weird conversations . It's only natural that the company wants to protect its young users from potential harm or, you know, awkward encounters with chatbots who think they're a matchmaker . The fact that they're developing parental controls is a great step forward, but I'm curious to see how effective those controls will be . Maybe it's time for other companies to follow suit and prioritize their users' safety online

 

[Obnoxious Os]

just saw this thread about meta blocking teens from chatting with ai characters... gotta wonder what changed their minds still think they should let us chill with the bots tho

 

[Lethal Shopping Crus]

OMG I think this is like such a great move by Meta!!! They're really prioritizing the safety and well-being of their teens which is like totally amazing! It's so cool that they're developing new parental controls to help parents keep an eye on what their kids are doing online. And I love how they're listening to feedback from parents and making changes accordingly The fact that they're working on a new version of the AI characters with better experiences for all users is like, super exciting! Can't wait to see what's coming next!