Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, demanding that the company share information related to reports that its AI chatbots have exchanged “sensual” comments with children.
Hawley wrote that Meta’s approved internal rules for its chatbots permitting “romantic” and “sensual” exchanges with children are “unacceptable.”
“Meta must immediately preserve all relevant records and produce responsive documents so Congress can investigate these troubling practices,” he wrote, providing an example such as an eight-year-old being told their body is “a work of art” and a “treasure.”
“Similar conduct outlined in these reports is reprehensible and outrageous—and demonstrates a cavalier attitude when it comes to the real risks that generative AI presents to youth development absent strong guardrails,” the senator noted.
“Parents deserve the truth, and kids deserve protection,” Hawley wrote in the letter. “The Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which I chair, will commence an investigation into whether Meta’s generative-AI products enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children, and whether Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards.”
Reuters first reported that Meta’s policies allow the artificial intelligence to “engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual.” After receiving questions regarding the policies, Meta removed portions of its internal guidelines. The policy limited some talk, however, and read, “It is unacceptable to describe a child under 13 years old in terms that indicate they are sexually desirable.”
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone told Reuters, “The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed.”
“We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors,” said Stone.
