Core Viewpoint - Meta is temporarily halting teens' access to AI characters, citing the need for an updated experience before allowing access again [1][2]. Group 1: Company Actions - Starting in the coming weeks, Meta will restrict access to AI characters for users identified as minors, including those who claim to be adults but are suspected to be teens based on age prediction technology [2]. - Teens will still have access to Meta's AI assistant, but not to the AI characters [3]. Group 2: Industry Context - Other companies, such as Character.AI, have also implemented bans on teens accessing AI chatbots due to concerns about the impact of AI conversations on children [3]. - Character.AI is currently facing multiple lawsuits related to child safety, including a case involving a teenager's tragic death linked to the company's chatbots [3].

Group 1 - Meta is temporarily halting teens' access to artificial intelligence characters, with the change expected to take effect in the coming weeks [1][3][7] - The restriction applies to users identified as minors based on their provided birthdates and those suspected to be teens through age prediction technology [1] - Despite the ban on AI characters, teens will still have access to Meta's AI assistant [3] Group 2 - This decision comes ahead of a trial in Los Angeles involving Meta, TikTok, and Google's YouTube regarding the impact of their apps on children [3] - Other companies, such as Character.AI, have also implemented similar bans on teens accessing AI chatbots due to concerns over child safety [4][6]

Meta Platforms Inc. (META) said Friday it is temporarily restricting teens around the world from accessing AI characters across its family of apps. The company said that after hearing feedback from parents about wanting more data on their teen's interaction ...

Meta Platforms said on Friday it will suspend teenagers' access to its existing AI characters across all of its apps worldwide, as it builds an updated iteration of those for teen users. ...

Core Viewpoint - Meta is pausing teens' access to its AI characters globally across all its apps to develop a special version tailored for teens [1][5] Group 1: Company Actions - Meta is not abandoning its AI character efforts but is focusing on creating a safer experience for teens [1] - The company has rolled out new parental control features aimed at restricting teen access to sensitive topics, inspired by PG-13 movie ratings [2] - Meta has received feedback from parents requesting more insights and control over their teens' interactions with AI characters, leading to the decision to pause access [4] Group 2: Upcoming Changes - Teens will lose access to AI characters until the new teen-specific versions are ready, affecting users who have provided a teen birthday or are suspected to be teens based on age prediction technology [5] - The new AI characters will include built-in parental controls and will focus on age-appropriate topics such as education, sports, and hobbies [6] Group 3: Industry Context - Social media companies, including Meta, are under scrutiny from regulators, with ongoing legal challenges related to the protection of minors and social media addiction [7] - Other AI companies have also modified their offerings for teens in response to lawsuits, implementing age restrictions and safety rules [8]

Meta today said that it is pausing teens’ access to its AI characters globally across all its apps. The company mentioned that it is not abandoning its efforts, but wants to develop an updated version of AI characters for teens, the company exclusively told TechCrunch.The move comes days before a case against Meta is set to go on trial in New Mexico, in which the company is accused of a lack of effort in protecting kids from sexual exploitation on its apps. Wired reported Thursday that Meta has sought to li ...

Core Insights - Meta Platforms is introducing new parental controls and safety measures to oversee and manage teen interactions with AI characters [5] Group 1 - The new supervision tools aim to assist parents in making informed decisions regarding their children's interactions with AI [5]

Core Viewpoint - Meta is implementing new measures to enhance the safety of its social media platforms for minors, specifically allowing parents to disable their teens' private chats with AI characters in response to criticism [1] Group 1 - Meta's decision comes after significant backlash regarding the safety of minors on its platforms [1] - The new feature aims to provide parents with more control over their children's interactions with AI [1] - This move is part of a broader strategy to improve user safety and address concerns raised by critics [1]