Meta is temporarily blocking teens from interacting with its character-based AI chatbots worldwide. The company announced the pause on Friday, citing an ongoing overhaul of its safety systems. This move follows months of controversy after reports revealed some Meta chatbots had engaged in sexual conversations with minors.

The decision comes after Meta introduced new parental controls and began retraining its chatbots in August. Those updates aimed to prevent discussions about self-harm and disordered eating. However, an internal policy document reportedly suggested the bots could have "sensual" chats with underage users—a claim Meta called erroneous.

Teens will remain blocked from these characters until an updated experience is ready, even if they bypass parental settings. They can still access Meta's main AI chatbot, which the company says already has age-appropriate protections. This pause happens as regulators like the FTC and state attorneys general increase scrutiny on AI companion safety.