Meta has paused access to its AI characters for teen users across all of its apps globally, with plans to introduce an updated, more controlled variant soon.
The company confirmed to TechCrunch that it is halting the feature but is currently preparing to bring some better options to address safety concerns.
The decision comes days ahead of a New Mexico lawsuit against Meta scheduled for a trial, in which the platform is accused of failing to provide child safety and protect from sexual exploitation on its platforms.
Moreover, the move comes after several speculations that Meta has attempted to restrict proves into the impact of social media on teen mental health.
In October 2025, Meta previewed parental controls for AI characters that enables parents to monitor conversations, block certain characters, or disable AI-centric chats entirely.
While these features were likely to be released this year, Meta has opted to entirely turn off AI characters for teens while it prepares for a new version.
According to Meta, parents asked for greater insight and control over how their children engage with AI, prompting the pause.
Recently, Meta has increased limits on teen AI experiences, including Instagram controls inspired by PG-13 movie ratings that limit access to sensitive topics.
As per the company, teens will lose access to AI characters in the near future, including users identified as teens through age-prediction technology.
The AI-powered characters will include built-in parental controls and offer age-appropriate responses that are completely focused on innovative topics like education, sports, and hobbies.
