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Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: Meta Halts Teen Access to AI Characters as It Prepares Updated Version

January, 24, 2026-04:42

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Meta Halts Teen Access to AI Characters as It Prepares Updated Version:

Meta has announced that it is temporarily suspending teens’ access to AI characters across all of its apps worldwide, as the company works on developing an updated version of the feature.

In a statement shared exclusively with TechCrunch, Meta said it is not abandoning AI characters for younger users but is instead pausing access while it builds a newer iteration designed specifically for teens.

The decision comes just days before Meta is scheduled to face trial in New Mexico, where the company has been accused of failing to adequately protect children from sexual exploitation on its platforms. The move also follows a report from Wired indicating that Meta has attempted to limit legal discovery related to the impact of social media on teen mental health.

Back in October, Meta previewed a set of parental controls for AI characters that would allow parents and guardians to monitor conversations, restrict certain topics, block specific characters, or disable AI character chats entirely. While those features were expected to launch later this year, Meta has now chosen to disable AI characters for teens altogether while it transitions the feature to a newer version.

According to the company, feedback from parents played a key role in the decision. Meta said parents wanted greater transparency and stronger controls over how their teens interact with AI characters.

The pause is part of Meta’s broader effort to tighten restrictions around teens’ exposure to AI-powered content. Also in October, the company introduced new parental controls on Instagram aimed at shaping how teens engage with AI features. Inspired by the PG-13 movie rating system, those measures limit access to sensitive topics such as extreme violence, nudity, and graphic drug use.

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi