Meta has announced an expansion of parental controls for teens’ AI chats on Instagram, aiming to provide families with enhanced tools to safeguard young users amid growing concerns about AI’s impact on youth mental health. The new features, set to roll out early next year in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, will empower parents to monitor, restrict, or block chats with specific AI characters while still allowing access to Meta’s general-purpose AI chatbot with age-appropriate protections.

Instagram teens will be restricted by default to PG-13 content under these updates, ensuring AI conversations exclude sensitive topics such as extreme violence, nudity, drug use, self-harm, and eating disorders. Parents can also turn off AI chats entirely or selectively disable interactions with particular AI personas. Additionally, Meta plans to furnish parents with summaries of the topics their teens discuss with AI, though full conversations will remain private.

“Parents already have a lot on their plates navigating the internet and new technologies safely with their teens,” said Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Meta AI chief Alexandr Wang in a joint statement. “We are committed to offering tools and resources that simplify this process, especially with AI’s growing role.”

These updates respond to mounting criticism and concern from children’s advocacy groups and mental health experts, some of whom view previous AI chatbot interactions as potentially harmful or triggering for vulnerable teens. Over 70% of teens have used AI companions, making protections timely and necessary.

Experts note that balancing AI’s benefits—such as educational support and companionship—with safeguarding minors remains complex. Meta’s approach of blending parental oversight, default content ratings, and selective controls reflects an attempt to address these challenges responsibly.

In conclusion, Meta’s expanded parental controls for Instagram’s AI chats represent a significant step in protecting teens from inappropriate digital content and risks associated with AI interactions. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into social media, ongoing innovation in safety features and transparency will be critical to maintaining trust among users and parents alike.