Parents Soon Can Block Their Kids from Interacting with AI Chatbots on Instagram

TV, social media, junk food — parents have been setting limits on their kids forever. Now, add AI chatbots to the list. Meta announced Friday that, starting in 2026, parents will be able to block teenagers from interacting with AI chatbots on Instagram. Parents will be able to block all access or block access to specific AI characters.

Meta, owner of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, is adding the parental controls months after a report came out in August showing the company’s AI guidelines allowed…