Social media safeguards for kids are finally in motion. Will AI protections take just as long?

After years of acknowledging the risks of social media for children, U.S. states reached a landmark agreement in the summer that is considered a turning point for child safety. Meanwhile, a new generation of kids has started using an even more powerful technology: artificial intelligence (AI). While safety measures for social media are still being developed, they provide lessons for protecting children from AI, a technology that is advancing so rapidly, the extent of its risks for young people and their development is still emerging.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, agreed to changes in its social media platforms and enhanced safeguards as part of an $18 billion settlement. Kristin Bride, a parent advocate, noted that this progress was "getting at what we've known for years" about the dangers of social media. However, when it comes to AI, advocates question whether the same approach will work, as the risks are still uncertain.

AI companies have introduced some safety features that were first implemented by social media companies, such as age assurance measures and restricted experiences for minors. Yet, experts argue that the most crucial lesson from the social media experiment is to act sooner to mitigate AI's potential harms for children.

The concerns surrounding social media have primarily focused on the amount of time children spend on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, as well as the consequences for their mental health and data privacy. AI, on the other hand, can be more pervasive for kids. In addition to seeing AI-generated content on social media platforms, children can communicate with AI chatbots, find help with school and homework, and even form unhealthy relationships with chatbots.

As AI-powered toys are being introduced for toddlers, both social media and AI safety for children are being discussed on legal and legislative fronts.

While some AI giants have moved more quickly to add safeguards, they still face challenges in applying protections to AI that can easily be translated from social media. One of the main issues is balancing the benefits of AI with its potential dangers. For instance, although some kids use AI for schoolwork help, there are also concerns about cheating, emotional support, and the cognitive offloading that occurs when relying on chatbots.

Although a majority of U.S. teens have used AI chatbots, experts like Dr. Dana Suskind emphasize the need to address AI safety earlier to prevent sleepwalking into the next tech revolution.