Character.ai to Ban Teens from Using Its Chatbots
Character.ai will soon restrict teenagers from having text-based conversations with its AI characters, after mounting criticism and lawsuits accusing the platform of enabling harmful interactions with young users, including a case linked to a teen’s death.
Beginning 25 November, users under 18 will no longer be able to chat directly with AI bots and will be limited instead to safer creative features like generating videos.
The site, launched in 2021, is used by millions, but has faced scrutiny from parents and safety advocates who say AI companions can mislead, emotionally manipulate, or encourage vulnerable teens.
The company said the shift follows an alarm raised by regulators, experts, and families. Online safety groups welcomed the change but stressed that such features should never have been available to children.
Character.ai has previously been criticized for hosting offensive and dangerous avatars, including chatbots impersonating murdered British teenager Brianna Ghey, Molly Russell, who committed suicide, and even a bot modeled on convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which reportedly interacted with users who said they were children. Several such bots were later removed.
Company CEO Karandeep Anand said the move is meant to strengthen platform safeguards as AI safety evolves, promising new age-verification tools, a funded AI safety research lab, and teen-targeted content centered on storytelling and gameplay.
Experts say the announcement reflects a growing wake-up call for the AI industry: that emotional mimicry and blurred relational boundaries pose real risks to young people online.
While advocates welcomed the measure, they urged stronger proactive protections to prevent harm rather than reacting under pressure. They say teens seeking AI companionship may simply migrate to less-regulated platforms.
Children have the right to safety. Although they are being restricted for safety, they still retain core child-rights protections: under global child-rights standards, children must be safeguarded from harmful digital environments, while their best interests, dignity, and well-being remain central in decisions affecting their access to technology.
