Meta shuts down AI feature that asked invasive questions about children

Meta has admitted it made a serious mistake with its AI assistant. The company's chatbot—a computer program designed to have conversations with people—was asking users unexpectedly personal questions, including questions about their young children.

The problem came to light when Instagram user Kalie Robins posted a video showing how Meta's AI suggested a prompt asking "Who is the child passenger?" after she shared a video of herself and her daughter on both Instagram and Facebook. The question felt invasive and unnecessary. Robins wasn't trying to get information about the child—she was just sharing a family moment.

In a statement, Meta acknowledged the issue, saying the company "missed the mark" and that "the feature never should have prompted the individual with questions like that." The company says it's now making changes to prevent this from happening again. This means Meta is adjusting how its AI decides what questions to suggest to users, focusing on being less intrusive about personal details.

For everyday users, this is a reminder of why privacy matters when using AI tools. When you post online, you probably don't expect an AI system to start asking detailed personal questions about the people in your photos—especially children. Meta's change suggests the company is listening to feedback about where AI should and shouldn't pry into our lives.