Snapchat and Instagram both have AI chatbots built in by default, with no way to fully disable them. Meta's own internal documents revealed policy decisions that allowed minors to receive romantic and sexual content from its AI systems. Meanwhile, Snapchat's premium AI features are designed to increase engagement, and Meta is now using teens' AI conversations to target them with personalized ads.
Back in 2024, I wrote about Snapchat having their My AI chatbot at the top of every user's chat feed, with no way to opt out except by paying for Snapchat Plus. No joke.
And even then, Snapchat+ only let users unpin it from that location, thereby hiding it rather than removing it.
Instagram also has an AI chatbot for all Instagram accounts. There’s no opt-in, it’s just automatically there.
And if you have followed the recent lawsuit against Meta, you may have heard about Meta’s internal documents revealing that their policies allowed minors to be served romantic and sexual content by their AI systems. When AI chatbots acted in this way, they created more engagement.
When companies are not only failing to make their platforms safe but also actively serving this type of content to kids, that is horrifying.
Today, I’m looking at the AI features embedded in Snap and Instagram and some concerns I have about them. Two things I’m not covering today are AI-generated content and the social media platform’s algorithmic curation, which is a type of AI.
As I mentioned, Snapchat has My AI at the top of every user's "friend page". It’s a chatbot similar to ChatGPT. It can answer questions, give advice, etc. Users can personalize their avatar. One has to pay for Snapchat+ ($3.99 a month) to hide it from view. You can't fully delete or disable it.
Examples of features that come with this monthly subscription:
I have written quite a bit about how chatbots are a real issue, and I’m not alone.
Teens themselves are sounding the alarm about environmental impact, starting to rely on them for advice on how to text or talk with someone, using them as a friend instead of other people, and the list goes on.
And the premium AI tools only add fuel to the fire, with features designed to keep users on the platform longer.
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Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Meta AI is available on Instagram (as well as WhatsApp and Facebook). It sits in the search bar, in DMs, in comments by default.
There is no way to disable Meta AI.
Anyone can create an AI character based on their interests, and creators can even build an AI extension of themselves.
Given this conversational chatbot, there are all the risks associated with that, which I mentioned some at the start of the blog.
In addition there is a specific, well-documented problem: safeguards eroding over time.
Meta has indicated it will not allow sexualized conversations with its AI, but no safeguard is foolproof, and with AI chatbots, extended conversations are where those protections tend to break down most.
The chatbot starts off refusing to engage in certain types of conversations, but then starts doing so over time.
Also concerning is that, as of a few months ago, Meta is using interactions with Meta AI to personalize ads across Instagram. When a person chats with Meta AI about their hobbies, plans, etc, those conversations are now available for advertisers to see!
Teens’ conversations are being used to target them with ads. Users need to know this!
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
Learn more about our Screen-Free Sleep campaign at the website!
Our movie made for parents and educators of younger kids
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! We add new videos regularly and you'll find over 100 videos covering parenting advice, guidance, podcasts, movie clips and more. Here's our most recent:
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Back in 2024, I wrote about Snapchat having their My AI chatbot at the top of every user's chat feed, with no way to opt out except by paying for Snapchat Plus. No joke.
And even then, Snapchat+ only let users unpin it from that location, thereby hiding it rather than removing it.
Instagram also has an AI chatbot for all Instagram accounts. There’s no opt-in, it’s just automatically there.
And if you have followed the recent lawsuit against Meta, you may have heard about Meta’s internal documents revealing that their policies allowed minors to be served romantic and sexual content by their AI systems. When AI chatbots acted in this way, they created more engagement.
When companies are not only failing to make their platforms safe but also actively serving this type of content to kids, that is horrifying.
Today, I’m looking at the AI features embedded in Snap and Instagram and some concerns I have about them. Two things I’m not covering today are AI-generated content and the social media platform’s algorithmic curation, which is a type of AI.
As I mentioned, Snapchat has My AI at the top of every user's "friend page". It’s a chatbot similar to ChatGPT. It can answer questions, give advice, etc. Users can personalize their avatar. One has to pay for Snapchat+ ($3.99 a month) to hide it from view. You can't fully delete or disable it.
Examples of features that come with this monthly subscription:
I have written quite a bit about how chatbots are a real issue, and I’m not alone.
Teens themselves are sounding the alarm about environmental impact, starting to rely on them for advice on how to text or talk with someone, using them as a friend instead of other people, and the list goes on.
And the premium AI tools only add fuel to the fire, with features designed to keep users on the platform longer.
Meta AI is available on Instagram (as well as WhatsApp and Facebook). It sits in the search bar, in DMs, in comments by default.
There is no way to disable Meta AI.
Anyone can create an AI character based on their interests, and creators can even build an AI extension of themselves.
Given this conversational chatbot, there are all the risks associated with that, which I mentioned some at the start of the blog.
In addition there is a specific, well-documented problem: safeguards eroding over time.
Meta has indicated it will not allow sexualized conversations with its AI, but no safeguard is foolproof, and with AI chatbots, extended conversations are where those protections tend to break down most.
The chatbot starts off refusing to engage in certain types of conversations, but then starts doing so over time.
Also concerning is that, as of a few months ago, Meta is using interactions with Meta AI to personalize ads across Instagram. When a person chats with Meta AI about their hobbies, plans, etc, those conversations are now available for advertisers to see!
Teens’ conversations are being used to target them with ads. Users need to know this!
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! We add new videos regularly and you'll find over 100 videos covering parenting advice, guidance, podcasts, movie clips and more. Here's our most recent:
Sign up here to receive the weekly Tech Talk Tuesdays newsletter from Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD.
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Back in 2024, I wrote about Snapchat having their My AI chatbot at the top of every user's chat feed, with no way to opt out except by paying for Snapchat Plus. No joke.
And even then, Snapchat+ only let users unpin it from that location, thereby hiding it rather than removing it.
Instagram also has an AI chatbot for all Instagram accounts. There’s no opt-in, it’s just automatically there.
And if you have followed the recent lawsuit against Meta, you may have heard about Meta’s internal documents revealing that their policies allowed minors to be served romantic and sexual content by their AI systems. When AI chatbots acted in this way, they created more engagement.
When companies are not only failing to make their platforms safe but also actively serving this type of content to kids, that is horrifying.
Today, I’m looking at the AI features embedded in Snap and Instagram and some concerns I have about them. Two things I’m not covering today are AI-generated content and the social media platform’s algorithmic curation, which is a type of AI.
As I mentioned, Snapchat has My AI at the top of every user's "friend page". It’s a chatbot similar to ChatGPT. It can answer questions, give advice, etc. Users can personalize their avatar. One has to pay for Snapchat+ ($3.99 a month) to hide it from view. You can't fully delete or disable it.
Examples of features that come with this monthly subscription:
I have written quite a bit about how chatbots are a real issue, and I’m not alone.
Teens themselves are sounding the alarm about environmental impact, starting to rely on them for advice on how to text or talk with someone, using them as a friend instead of other people, and the list goes on.
And the premium AI tools only add fuel to the fire, with features designed to keep users on the platform longer.
New research from the Rithm Project surveyed 2,383 teens and young adults to understand how AI is shaping their relationships. While most use AI for information and tasks, a notable group are turning to AI characters for emotional support, with over half of this group reporting they feel they have no one to turn to. These findings offer an important window into how some teens are really using AI, and why parents need to be having these conversations.
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AI tools like ChatGPT can now complete many homework tasks for students, often in minutes. While these tools may be useful for skilled adults, research suggests they can undermine learning for children by bypassing effort, problem solving, and critical thinking. Homework that involves writing, calculations, or study materials is especially vulnerable to AI use, while memorization and hands-on creative work still require student effort. Clear household rules and ongoing conversations can help protect learning and set expectations around AI use for schoolwork.
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A reader recently sent me a great question: “Should I be worried about my kid using Alexa or Google Home?” It’s a great question, and one I’ve been thinking about more myself lately, especially as these devices become more conversational and, honestly, more human-sounding every day. In today's blog, I dig into the concerns and share practical solutions, including simple replacements for when these devices are used at bedtime.
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
