Teenager

Meta temporarily blocks teen access to AI characters ahead of LA trial

Meta is halting teens' access to artificial intelligence characters, at least temporarily, the company said in a blog post Friday. Meta Platforms Inc, which own Instagram and WhatsApp, said that starting in the "coming weeks," teens will no longer be able to access AI characters "until the updated experience is ready" This applies to anyone who gave Meta a birthday that makes them a minor, as well as "people who claim to be adults but who we suspect are teens based on our age prediction technology." The move comes the week before Meta - along with TikTok and Google's YouTube - is scheduled to stand trial in Los Angeles over its apps' harms to children. Teens will still be able to access Meta's AI assistant, just not the characters. Other companies have also banned teens from AI chatbots amid growing concerns about the effects of artificial intelligence conversations on children. Character.AI announced its ban last fall. That company is facing several lawsuits over child safety, .

Beyond being well: Teens and Gen Z redefine what it means to be healthy

A generation ago, friendship, beauty, community and dating mattered but weren't seen as "health". Today, these social and personal dimensions are increasingly viewed as integral to being healthy

Why big tech bosses are keeping their kids off social media platforms

From YouTube CEO Neal Mohan to Bill Gates, top tech leaders are limiting their children's screen time as studies link social media to teen anxiety and governments move towards age bans

Australia's under-16 gamble: Social media ban's impact may take 10-15 years

The country is running a real-time experiment on a whole generation-the true effects of its social media ban for children won't be clear for 10-15 years

Australia enforces world-first ban on social media access for teens

Meanwhile chat app Discord Inc., which isn't subject to the ban, said Tuesday it is enhancing safety features for users in Australia

Your brain resets at ages 9, 32, 66 and 83: Study maps life's neural shifts

A new Nature Communications study finds brain ageing isn't linear, with key network 'turning points' at 9, 32, 66 and 83 that mark distinct phases from childhood to late life

Uber gives teens in India more independence - with parental control

New feature lets teens book rides under parental oversight as company seeks stronger foothold in key growth market

Discord adds new parental controls and privacy tools: Check what's new

Discord's new Family Centre tools give parents more control over who can contact their teens, while keeping chats and reports private to protect user privacy.

Teenage girls at highest risk as women make up 61% of Delhi's missing cases

The data collected from the beginning of this year through mid-October highlighted that women and girls together form the most affected category among those who go missing in the city

Meta introduces parental controls for AI chats with teens from next year

Meta is adding parental controls for kids' interactions with artificial intelligence chatbots including the ability to turn off one-on-one chats with AI characters altogether beginning early next year. But parents won't be able to turn off Meta's AI assistant, which Meta says will remain available to offer helpful information and educational opportunities, with default, age-appropriate protections in place to help keep teens safe. Parents who don't want to turn off all chats with all AI characters will also be able to block specific chatbots. And Meta said Friday that parents will be able to get insights about what their kids are chatting about with AI characters although they won't get access to the full chats. The changes come as the social media giant faces ongoing criticism over harms to children from its platforms. AI chatbots are also drawing scrutiny over their interactions with children, which lawsuits claim have driven some to suicide. Even so, more than 70 per cent of

Instagram adds new restrictions to teen accounts and more parental controls

Instagram introduces PG-13 content settings for teen accounts, adding stricter parental controls, AI safeguards

PCOS in teens: Why parents' role in early care and support is crucial

From spotting irregular cycles to building supportive home routines, parents play a key role in helping adolescents cope with PCOS and its physical and emotional challenges

Teens increasingly turning to AI companions, likely causing them harm

Teens are increasingly turning to AI companions, and it could be harming them

Smartphones before 13? Study warns of long-term mental health issues

New research finds children who get smartphones before 13 face higher risks of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts

WWDC25: Apple iOS 26 update brings stricter child safety features, more

From default teen protections to age-range sharing and expanded Communication Limits, Apple introduces comprehensive new safety features for families in iOS 26 update

Caffeinated energy drinks: Do they give you wings, or just weigh you down?

Love energy drinks? Your body might not. From spiking anxiety to disrupting sleep and hormones, doctors explain what those shiny cans may be doing to young people

Your teen's mental health may be tied to what their mother endures at home

A new India-focused study reveals how domestic abuse faced by mothers leave lasting scars on the mental health of their adolescent children, often in hidden, heartbreaking ways

Australia banning social media for people under 16: All you need to know

It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids off social media until they turn 16. Australia's new law, approved by its Parliament last week, is an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalisation and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. And like efforts of the past to protect kids from things that parents believe they're not ready for, the nation's move is both ambitious and not exactly simple, particularly in a world where young people are often shaped, defined and judged by the online company they keep. The ban won't go into effect for another year. But how will Australia be able to enforce it? That's not clear, nor will it be easy. TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram have become so ingrained in young people's lives that going cold turkey will be ...

Australia's social media ban: Negative impact of the internet on teenagers

Debate over the internet use for children grows as Australia bans social media for teenagers under 16, sensing its negative impact. Here's how it is affecting them

Teen fell in love with AI chatbot, then shot himself to 'come home' to her

14-year-old US teen ended his life after decided to "go home" and meet the "love" of his life, Daenerys Targaryen, a chatbot named after the leading character from the HBO drama series Game of Thrones