Meta Temporarily Blocks Teen Access to AI Characters Amid Safety Overhaul
Meta Platforms Inc. saw its shares inch higher after announcing a global pause on teenage access to its AI-powered character chatbots. The move, framed as a safety precaution, restricts minors from interacting with these features across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp while the company develops age-appropriate alternatives with parental controls.
Investors interpreted the decision as a proactive step to mitigate regulatory risks, particularly as scrutiny intensifies over AI's impact on younger users. The core Meta AI assistant remains available with default safeguards, but character-based interactions—often more engaging and less filtered—are now off-limits for teens.
The policy shift could accelerate demand for age-verification technologies across social media platforms. While the change doesn't alter Meta's financial fundamentals, it signals a strategic pivot toward compliance ahead of potential legislation—a calculus that may reduce long-term legal exposure at the cost of short-term engagement metrics.
