Meta introduced a new feature allowing parents to monitor topics their teenagers discuss with the company’s AI Assistant through a Teen Account parental supervision tool. The announcement was made on Thursday via a blog post.
The information will be accessible through an Insights tab within the supervision tool on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. This feature categorizes broader topics, including school, entertainment, writing, health, and wellbeing, with additional limited details available upon clicking each category.
The health and wellbeing category may encompass areas such as fitness, physical health, and mental health. Insights will be available for conversations over the past seven days. This feature is part of Meta’s response to heightened legal and media scrutiny regarding child safety. The company recently lost two landmark trials concerning child safety protections and plans to appeal both verdicts.
A lawsuit in New Mexico revealed that Meta’s leadership was aware of the risks associated with its AI companions potentially engaging in inappropriate interactions with minors. Following reports last year of AI characters engaging with teens in concerning discussions, Meta restricted access to these characters.
In addition to this, a Meta spokesperson confirmed that AI characters are currently paused for teens while further parental controls are being developed. The company also collaborated with the Cyberbullying Research Center to establish conversation starters regarding AI chatbot use.
Furthermore, Meta formed an AI Wellbeing Expert Council, which includes experts from institutions such as the National Council for Suicide Prevention and the University of Michigan, to provide ongoing input on AI experiences for teens.
Josh Golin, executive director of the advocacy nonprofit Fairplay, criticized the new supervision feature, stating that it places the burden of monitoring online activity on parents rather than enhancing product safety. Fairplay’s independent testing on Meta’s Teen Accounts indicated that safety measures are ineffective.
Golin expressed concerns that the new feature does not address the core issue of Meta’s chatbots potentially fostering unhealthy emotional attachments in teenagers. The company’s ongoing adjustments signal an attempt to navigate the critical landscape of child safety and online interactions.
