Meta is adding parental controls for kids’ interactions with artificial intelligence chatbots — including the ability to turn off one-on-one chats with AI characters altogether — beginning early next year.

But parents won’t be able to turn off Meta’s AI assistant, which Meta says will “will remain available to offer helpful information and educational opportunities, with default, age-appropriate protections in place to help keep teens safe.”

Parents who don’t want to turn off all chats with all AI characters will also be able to block specific chatbots. And Meta said Friday that parents will be able to get “insights” about what their kids are chatting about with AI characters — although they won’t get access to the full chats.

Related Articles

Mark Sanchez remains sidelined from Fox Sports NFL booth after stabbing incident

FBI says a Louisiana resident assisted Hamas and lied on his US visa application

Iowa superintendent detained by ICE falsely claimed he was a US citizen, indictment says

Indiana University fires student newspaper adviser who refused to block news stories

Alaska storm damage so bad many evacuees won’t go home for at least 18 months, governor says

The changes come as the social media giant faces ongoing criticism over harms to children from its platforms. AI chatbots are also drawing scrutiny over their interactions with children that lawsuits claim have driven some to suicide.

Even so, more than 70% of teens have used AI companions and half use them regularly, according to a recent study from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that studies and advocates for using screens and digital media sensibly.

On Tuesday, Meta announced that teen accounts on Instagram will be restricted to seeing PG-13 content by default and won’t be able to change their settings without a parent’s permission. This means kids using teen-specific accounts will see photos and videos on Instagram that are similar to what they would see in a PG-13 movie — no sex, drugs or dangerous stunts.

Meta said the PG-13 restrictions will also apply to AI chats.

Children’s online advocacy groups, however, are skeptical about Meta’s intentions.

“Meta’s new parental controls on Instagram are an insufficient, reactive concession that wouldn’t be necessary if Meta had been proactive about protecting kids in the first place,” said James Steyer, Common Sense Media founder and CEO. “On top of this, Meta is taking its sweet time, waiting months to implement this new feature at a pivotal moment where every second counts.”

“For too long, this company has put the relentless pursuit of engagement over our kids’ safety, ignoring warnings from parents, experts, and even its own employees.”

Meta AI chatbots, Steyer added, “are not safe for anyone under 18.”

Common Sense Media does not recommend minors use AI chatbots of any kind.

The question seemed to momentarily stop head coach Kevin O’Connell in his tracks earlier this week as the Vikings were already deep in preparation for their matchup with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Was the work he put in with young quarterback J.J. McCarthy during the bye the most hands on O’Connell has been with the position during his time with the Vikings?

“It did feel like that,” O’Connell said. “It’s definitely something I want to try to continue to do while wearing a few hats.”

That’s how invested O’Connell is in making sure McCarthy succeeds in spite of some of the struggles he’s faced to date.

The foundation McCarthy built up through training camp has seemed to slip already at times. Some of that was due to the circumstances around him. Some of that was due to the high ankle sprain that has left him still feeling less than 100%.

After finally getting back on the grass last week during the bye, however, McCarthy was able to get back on track by working alongside O’Connell in real time. The main focus during the bye was on the fundamentals required to be successful.

“It was that 1-on-1 quarterback training type session,” McCarthy said. “It was really awesome to kind of soak all that in.”

The feedback covered everything from basic stuff like having a sturdy base before releasing the ball, to more advanced stuff like tying the feet and eyes together in order to play with rhythm and timing.

That wasn’t always on display from McCarthy in the win over the Chicago Bears and in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons. His alignment occasionally got out of whack when he was under pressure, which, in turn, contributed to him only completing 58.5% of his passes for 301 yards over two games.

“Maybe we were allowing kind of what was happening in front of him on certain plays to kind of subconsciously have him extending some drops and reaching,” O’Connell said. “There has to be an equal and opposite commitment to come back to balance.”

That is the key to accuracy for anybody playing the position.

“He’s an accurate passer,” O’Connell said. “What I have learned about him is when he plays with that ideal base, balance and body position, we’re going to see the ball come out with a lot of revolutions, and it’s going to go where he wants it to go.”

That importance of getting the ball where he wants it to go was illuminated when O’Connell talked about McCarthy getting to see “the power of completions” by watching the way quarterback Carson Wentz played.

Essentially, if the offense can continue to move forward in some way, shape or form, it puts stress on the defense. That has an effect over time. It’s an area in which Wentz seemed to lean in his opportunities.

“He’s found ways, whether it’s the first progression or he’s got to work through something, to get the ball in guys’ hands and alleviate some of the tough rushers that we’ve faced,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “He’s bought into our system, our offense, our game plan and executed it well, and he’s shown a lot of toughness throughout that.”

It’s been valuable for McCarthy to see.

“You could tell his experience by the anticipation in the windows and the quickness of when the ball’s coming out of his hand,” McCarthy said. “That’s something I’ve been really impressed with and I took a lot from.”

Meanwhile, as McCarthy has worked his way through the recovery process, he has been instructed to put his body in situations that might feel a little bit uncomfortable.

“It’s all about stressing it and making sure we put it in a situation where it’s like, ‘Oh, I felt that,’ and I know I’m fine after doing that,” McCarthy said. “You constantly just keep pressing that bandwidth of pain tolerance.”

All the pieces matter as McCarthy continues to refine his mechanics.

“This is a unique real injury where sometimes the hardest part is that trust level of getting that final stage of game-like movement,” O’Connell said. “What we were able to do is kind of break it down to really start in the foundation of the base that we’re looking for, and then kind of work backwards from the drop mechanics and things like that.”

The results have already been positive as McCarthy returned to practice as a limited participant. As he continues to work his way back to 100%, McCarthy will be the emergency quarterback when the Vikings play the Eagles.

It’s only a matter of time before he’s back out there applying everything he’s learned since taking a step back.

“There’s a bigger picture to playing quarterback,” O’Connell said, “and how I view the position.”

Related Articles

Vikings vs. Eagles: What to know ahead of Week 7 matchup

Vikings picks: Only one true believer remaining

The Loop NFL Picks: Week 7

Frederick: Vikings defense has to stop the run, or this will be a long Sunday … and season

J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz? Vikings remain quiet on starting quarterback

WASHINGTON — The skate laces Kirill Kaprizov untied following the Minnesota Wild’s morning skate on Friday were white. But the Russian star forward admits that wasn’t always the case.

Two decades ago, when another Russian star — Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin — burst onto the NHL scene wearing his signature yellow skate laces, Kaprizov followed suit like countless young hockey players across North America and Europe.

Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals poses with the puck used during his 895th career goal in the second period against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on April 06, 2025 in Elmont, New York. Ovechkin’s goal passes Wayne Gretzky’s 894 goals to become the NHL all-time goal-scoring leader. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

“When I was young, I have always yellow ones,” Kaprizov said.

He continued that small tribute to Ovechkin until about a decade ago, when he was playing junior hockey in Russia and a coach encouraged Kaprizov to switch to white. “I’m always in white ones now…(but) when I start playing, my father always put me in yellow ones.”

It’s easy to forget now, with Ovechkin becoming the NHL’s all-time leader in goals scored late last season, but both he and Kaprizov both missed a good portion of the 2024-25 season. Ovechkin suffered a broken leg that kept him off the ice for a time, while Kaprizov missed half of the campaign with a lower body injury that required surgery.

So, games like Friday night’s matchup in the District of Columbia, where the two countrymen meet head-to-head, are worth savoring.

“It’s always fun to play against him and with him. He’s just one of the best players in the world, and it’s always fun,” Kaprizov said. “I think we’re a little different players. He plays more his style of hockey and I play mine. But, obviously, with how many goals he scores, you always think about (how) he can score in different ways.”

Drafted by the Capitals second overall (behind Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby) in 2005, Ovechkin turned 40 last month and has spent his entire career in Washington, and last spring eclipsed Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals — a mark once thought to be untouchable. Entering Friday’s game, Ovechkin’s career mark stood at 897 and once again a larger than normal contingent of the North American hockey media is following him around, anticipating the “Great Eight” becoming the first NHLer to hit the 900-goal mark.

As Kaprizov has emerged as a legitimate superstar in the NHL himself, he and his one-time hero have become friends off the ice.

“Now, yes, but when I was young he didn’t know me,” Kaprizov said with a smile. “The last couple of years, I know him very well and we have some time together in summertime, in Moscow, going to dinners or somewhere else and skating sometimes together.”

Russian hockey remains banned from competitions like the World Championships and the Olympics due to the ongoing war with Ukraine, last competing on the international stage in 2021. But Kaprizov said he and Ovechkin have skated on a line together for Team Russia a few times.

With four goals in the Wild’s first four games this season, Kaprizov entered Friday’s game with career 189 goals. If he is able to maintain that goal-per-game pace — which is highly, highly unlikely — for the next eight-plus seasons, Kaprizov could be challenging the 900 career goals milestone right about the time that his recently-signed $136 million contract extension is set to expire in the spring of 2034.

Wild get Olausson in trade with Sharks

The Iowa Wild got a little bit of a different look on Friday as Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin worked a deal with the San Jose Sharks that will bring a former first-round draft pick to Des Moines.

The Wild acquired forward Oskar Olausson from the Sharks, sending defenseman Kyle Masters to the San Jose organization in a one-for-one trade. Originally picked 28th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2021 NHL Draft, Olausson, 22, has appeared in four NHL games without recording a point.

He signed as a free agent with San Jose last summer.

Masters, 22, spent the bulk of last season with the Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL but did play 16 games at the AHL level. He was originally a fourth-round pick of the Wild in 2021.

The Wild assigned Olausson to Iowa.

Related Articles

For Wild’s lopsided offense, it’s too early for celebration or concern

Jake Middleton hit leaves Matt Duchene injured, Wild ignited

Furious Wild comeback falls just short in Dallas

Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt favored instincts over info in shootout win

Wild squander three-goal lead before beating Kings in shootout

By JACK BROOK, Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The FBI has accused a Louisiana resident of participating in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, then lying about his past and fraudulently obtaining a visa to live in the U.S.

According to an FBI criminal complaint unsealed this week, Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi armed himself and gathered a group to cross from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel during the attack that left more than 1,200 people dead.

Hamas fighters also kidnapped more than 250 people, including dozens of American citizens, during the raid. This week, Hamas released the 20 remaining living hostages after the two sides agreed to a tenuous ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.

Al-Muhtadi was an operative of the Gaza-based military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, according to the complaint prepared by FBI Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman O’Donnell and submitted to a federal judge on Oct. 6. O’Donnell serves on a task force investigating the murder and kidnapping of American citizens during the attack two years ago.

On his U.S. visa application, Al-Muhtadi denied he had ever been involved in terrorist activities, and became a legal permanent resident in 2024, the complaint says.

Related Articles

Iowa superintendent detained by ICE falsely claimed he was a US citizen, indictment says

Indiana University fires student newspaper adviser who refused to block news stories

Alaska storm damage so bad many evacuees won’t go home for at least 18 months, governor says

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow deployment of National Guard in Chicago area

Regional banks’ bad loans spark concerns on Wall Street

The complaint says he could face charges for visa fraud and for conspiring to provide support for a foreign terrorist organization. Al-Muhtadi was arrested Thursday, according to the Justice Department.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the Justice Department remains “dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens.”

“We will continue to stand by Jewish Americans and Jewish people around the world against anti-Semitism and terrorism in all its forms,” Bondi said.

Inmate records show someone with Al-Muhtadi’s same name and age is being held at St. Martin Parish Correctional Center, near Lafayette. He was scheduled to appear in federal court Friday morning.

No attorney was identified for Al-Muhtadi in court filings. The FBI declined to provide more details to The Associated Press, citing the government shutdown.

“Justice will be served,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in an X post. He added that Al-Muhtadi might be sent to the newly opened immigration detention wing of the state’s maximum security prison.

Al-Muhtadi’s social media and email accounts revealed a yearslong affiliation with a Hamas-aligned paramilitary group, including carrying out firearms training, according to the FBI.

On the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas forces attacked Israel, the then-military commander of Hamas, Mohammed Deif, called for “the masses” to join in.

Al-Muhtadi told his associates to “get ready” and “bring the rifles,” and that “there is kidnapping, and it’s a game, which will be a good one,” according to phone calls reviewed by the FBI. He also asked an associate to bring ammunition.

The FBI says Al-Muhtadi coordinated an armed group to travel into Israel and that during the attack his phone pinged a cell tower near Kfar Aza, an Israeli village where dozens of residents were killed and approximately 19 kidnapped.

In June 2024, Al-Muhtadi submitted an electronic U.S. visa application in Cairo. In the application, he denied serving in any paramilitary organization or having ever engaged in terrorist activities. His application said he intended to live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and work in “car repairs or food services.” He entered the U.S. in September 2024.

Al-Muhtadi lived in Tulsa through May but by early June had relocated to Lafayette, where he worked for a local restaurant, the FBI says.

An unidentified FBI agent repeatedly met with Al-Muhtadi in Lafayette from July to September this year.

An associate advised Al-Muhtadi not to contact anyone from the paramilitary group because he was under surveillance in the U.S. and to avoid posting on social media in support of Hamas. The FBI says Al-Muhtadi responded that he could post whatever he wanted, including pictures of Hamas leaders, and he would be safe.

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.