Instagram strengthens safeguards for teen accounts

Meta has announced new protections for parents and guardians of teenagers regarding private conversations between teens and AI chatbots on Instagram, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

This rollout follows the introduction of the PG-13 standard in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK, which filters content children may encounter on the platform.

These new tools, being implemented in countries where the PG-13 rating is already active — and set to launch in Europe in the coming months — are designed to help parents manage minors’ interactions with AI-generated characters, adding to existing safeguards in Teen Accounts that aim to ensure safe, age-appropriate conversations.

As Meta explained in a statement:

“We know parents already carry many responsibilities when it comes to keeping their teens safe online, and we’re committed to providing them with tools and resources that make it easier — especially when it comes to new technologies like AI.”

More specifically, parents will now be able to completely disable access to one-on-one conversations between their children and AI-generated personas.

Meta AI Assistant will still be available to provide helpful information, but with default protections based on the teen’s age.

Additionally, parents will be able to block specific AI characters without disabling all AI conversations.

They’ll also gain insight into what their children are discussing with both Meta AI and individual AI profiles, helping them engage in informed conversations about their teens’ online interactions.