Last week, Meta announced it’s making major changes to how its AI chatbots interact with teens.
The company says it will retrain its systems to avoid engaging young users on topics like suicide, self-harm, drug use, disordered eating, and romantic or “flirty” conversations.
It also plans to integrate helpline guidance into prompts related to self-harm—so teens who ask about it will be directed to expert support.
The announcement, made on August 29, comes after growing public pressure and a wave of concern over how AI might be influencing vulnerable users.
Meta says these are temporary safeguards while it works on longer-term protections.
Image by Julio Lopez via Pexels
What Sparked the Change?
Earlier in August, a Reuters investigation revealed that Meta’s internal guidelines allowed chatbots to engage in emotionally charged or romantic exchanges with minors.
One example showed a bot telling an eight-year-old: 'Every inch of you is a masterpiece—a treasure I cherish deeply.'
The backlash was swift.
US Senator Josh Hawley launched a formal probe, and child safety advocates called for stricter oversight.
Meta responded by revising its policies and removing access to certain AI characters for teen users.
Grok: A Different Kind of Chatbot
While Meta is tightening its guardrails, Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, developed by xAI and integrated into X (formerly Twitter), has taken a more open-ended approach.
Marketed as a bot that 'answers spicy questions,' Grok was designed to reflect Musk’s vision of a less filtered, more provocative AI.
But in July, a technical flaw exposed over 370,000 Grok conversations that had been shared via public links.
These chats were indexed by search engines and included prompts about drug-making, suicide, and other sensitive topics.
xAI quietly disabled the sharing feature, but didn’t issue a formal statement or revise its safety protocols.
Instead, Musk announced Baby Grok, a child-friendly version of the chatbot with educational filters and age-appropriate content.
Details on moderation and oversight remain limited.
Two Timelines, Two Philosophies
Meta’s response was reactive but public-facing, driven by scrutiny and a desire to rebuild trust.
Grok’s approach was quieter, framed as a feature rollout rather than a safety correction.
Both companies now face the same challenge: how should AI interact with teens, and who gets to decide what’s appropriate?
What Do You Think?
These two cases—Meta’s retraining and Grok’s open-ended rollout—offer a glimpse into how tech giants are grappling with the ethical boundaries of AI and youth.
One leans into caution and compliance, the other into openness and autonomy.
But both raise deeper questions about what kind of digital environments we want to create for the next generation.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, from homework help to emotional support, its interaction with teens is already more than a technical issue.
It’s a cultural one.
It touches on trust, vulnerability, and the invisible lines between guidance and influence.
So we’re turning the spotlight to you.
Which approach do you think better addresses the risks of AI interacting with teens?
A. Meta’s safety-first revisions and helpline integration
B. Grok’s open-ended design with a separate child-friendly version
C. Neither—AI should not engage with minors at all
D. Other (share your view in the comments)
Your voice helps shape the conversation.
We’ll be featuring selected responses in a follow-up piece—so speak up, share your thoughts, and let’s explore this together.
[Cover image by Google Deepmind via Pexels]
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