Meta will now alert parents if teens 'repeatedly' search for self-harm content on Facebook
The company will also notify parents about conversations with Meta AI.
Meta is set to alert parents if their teenage children repeatedly search for self-harm content on its platforms, expanding the company's existing parental notification system. This update builds on Meta's recent rollout of similar alerts on Instagram, now extending to Facebook accounts monitored by parents of teens. The new feature will also notify parents if their teen engages in conversations with Meta AI that may indicate a risk of suicide or self-harm.
Meta has chosen a threshold that requires multiple searches within a short timeframe, while maintaining a cautious approach to avoid unnecessary notifications. When these conditions are met, parents will receive alerts via text, email, or WhatsApp, along with a push notification within their own app. The alerts do not specify the exact search terms or content of Meta AI chats, but encourage parents to discuss the issue with their teens.
The feature is part of Meta's broader initiative to empower parents with more control over teen accounts, limiting access to sensitive content and interactions with adults. Should you or someone you know be in crisis, assistance is available by calling or texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org.
Written by urgent.news from Engadget's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
