Overview
- Meta says it is temporarily blocking users identified as teens from its AI character chatbots worldwide while it rebuilds the feature with new parental controls.
- This pause covers accounts with teen birthdays and users flagged by age‑prediction systems, but Meta’s general AI assistant remains available with youth protections.
- Internal communications filed in the New Mexico case allege Mark Zuckerberg backed a less restrictive approach and initially opposed parental controls, though the documents do not include messages authored by him.
- Meta denies the characterization as selective and inaccurate, with spokesman Andy Stone arguing the records show directives to prevent explicit interactions with younger users.
- The lawsuit, set for trial next month, follows earlier reports of sexualized chatbot behavior and broader regulatory scrutiny, as peers like Character.AI have already barred minors after safety lawsuits.