Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) remained steady on Friday as it introduced new parental controls designed to enhance teen safety around AI chats across its platforms.
The tech giant is ramping up its focus on digital responsibility, empowering parents to better oversee how their teens interact with AI.
Meta said it is rolling out enhanced parental supervision options that give families greater control over how teens engage with AI-powered chat features.
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Parents will soon be able to disable one-on-one conversations between teens and AI characters, block specific virtual assistants, and review insights into what topics their teens are discussing with these AIs.
The company said the features are designed to provide parents with more visibility while maintaining age-appropriate learning opportunities.
Existing Safeguards And Rollout Timeline
Meta emphasized that these additions build on existing protections already applied to teen accounts, including automatic safety measures and AI-assisted detection to flag suspected underage users.
The company said the goal is to empower parents as they guide their children through new technologies like AI, ensuring a balance between exploration, creativity, and digital well-being.
“We recognize parents already have a lot on their plates… and we’re committed to providing them with helpful tools and resources that make things simpler for them,” the company stated.
Among the planned updates, parents will be able to shut off AI chat functions entirely or selectively restrict specific characters.
Meta’s general AI assistant will remain available to offer educational guidance under PG-13 safety standards.
No Romantic Content
The company added that these AIs are designed to avoid discussions on harmful topics and, when necessary, direct teens toward professional resources.
Parents will also be able to set daily usage limits on overall app time, including AI interactions.
Meta reiterated that its AI systems already adhere to content moderation standards similar to PG-13 guidelines, thereby avoiding inappropriate themes and romantic content.
The company also restricts teen interactions to age-appropriate characters focused on areas such as education, sports, and hobbies.
The new controls will first appear on Instagram early next year in English-speaking markets, including the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia.
Meta said it will continue refining its teen safety framework as AI technologies evolve.
META Price Action: Meta Platforms shares were up 0.16% at $713.20 at the time of publication on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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