Meta has introduced new features to notify parents when their teenagers discuss suicide or self-harm with the company’s chatbot, Meta AI. Parents who have activated the supervision feature for their teens on Instagram will receive notifications on their devices if a teenage user displays signs of crisis while interacting with Meta AI on any Meta platform. The company stated in a blog post on Thursday that Meta AI is available on all Meta platforms, including Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and the Meta.ai website.
These new measures enhance Meta’s existing safety protocols. Previously, when a teenager indicated thoughts of self-harm or suicide, the AI chatbot would guide them to crisis support lines and advise them to contact a parent or trusted individual. Additionally, repeated searches related to self-harm and suicide by teen Instagram users using the platform’s search function already triggered notifications to parents.
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has rolled out the new feature to users in Canada, the U.K., the U.S., and Australia. The company had mentioned its intention to incorporate a flagging feature into Meta AI back in February.
Furthermore, Meta is developing a tool to automatically reach out to emergency services when conversations with the chatbot, involving both adults and teens, suggest potential self-harm. Despite the positive reception of the new tool, advocates, experts, and young individuals believe more improvements are necessary.
While acknowledging the significance of the tool, technology analyst Carmi Levy from London, Ont., emphasizes that it may not be foolproof and could generate false alerts or miss genuine risks. Meta plans to err on the side of caution initially, even notifying parents when a teenager’s intentions are unclear.
Levy advises parents to view this tool as one part of a broader strategy for monitoring their children’s online activities. Hanna Grover, a youth advocate with Children First Canada, points out the likelihood of teens circumventing the feature, citing instances where peers have bypassed restrictions on teen accounts.
Sara Austin, CEO of Children First Canada, stresses that voluntary measures are insufficient and calls for stricter regulations to protect young individuals. In June, the Canadian government introduced the Safe Social Media Act, which aims to enforce safety requirements for AI chatbots in response to expressions of self-harm or suicide.
Meta’s initiative comes amid increased scrutiny of AI’s role in mental health crises among youth. OpenAI recently faced legal action over allegations that its chatbot contributed to negative outcomes for young users. The company has since implemented parental controls and an alert system similar to Meta’s to notify parents of concerning conversations.
In conclusion, while Meta’s new tool is a step in the right direction, there is consensus among experts and advocates that ongoing efforts are needed to ensure online safety for young individuals.