Meta is rolling out a new safety feature that will see parents alerted if their teenager discusses suicide or self-harm with Instagram's built-in AI chatbot.
When a teenager suggests they may be thinking about harming themselves, Meta AI directs them to crisis helplines and encourages them to speak to a trusted adult.
The additional protection will see parents informed about the conversations, with a dedicated AI system identifying those of concern.
A statement from the tech giant, which also owns Facebook, explains: "We understand how distressing these alerts may be for a parent to receive.
"That's why, as we continue to improve our detection, all chats flagged by our AI will be manually reviewed before an alert is sent."
If the intent is "ambiguous", Meta says it will "err on the side of caution and alert the parent".
"While that means we may sometimes notify parents when there may not be real cause for concern, we feel this is the right starting point, and we'll continue to monitor to help make sure we're in the right place," it adds.
It comes after Meta announced in February that parents would be notified if their teenager uses Instagram to search for suicide or self-harm content.
Parents will be signposted to expert resources to help them approach conversations about suicide and self-harm with teenagers.
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The feature has been developed after feedback from more than 75 clinicians.
Meta said it is also building ways to alert emergency services if someone "appears to be at imminent risk if suicide".
The minimum age limit for Instagram in most countries, including the UK, is 13 years old.
Meta restrictions mean under-16s using the app should only see content that abides by the equivalent of a 12A cinema rating.
The announcement comes a month after the government announced a ban on social media for under-16s.
The ban, expected to come into force in spring 2027, will cover platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.
An opt-out social media curfew for users aged 16 and 17 has also been announced.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.
(c) Sky News 2026: Meta to alert parents if teenagers ask Instagram AI chatbot about suicide or self-harm
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