Meta Platforms Inc. says it has launched new tools to alert Canadian parents and first responders when youths are at risk of suicide or self-harm, but at least one expert says they’re not infallible.
The new measures notify parents using Instagram supervision tools if their teen is discussing suicide or self-harm with chatbot Meta AI.
The tech giant is also building a way to contact emergency services when conversations adults and teens are having with Meta AI suggests they may be at risk of taking their own life.
Shauna Pomerantz, a professor of child and youth studies at Brock University, says the measures are a step in the right direction because there have been several instances of young people using social media to discuss self-harm.
However, she says kids are crafty and suspects they will find their way around the measures by speaking in code words online.
Meta’s new features come as the federal government is moving toward new legislation that would establish safety requirements for social media and AI chatbot services.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2026.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, support is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988, Canada’s national suicide prevention helpline.
