Meta's AI is being investigated for inappropriate language with minors
(MENAFN) US lawmakers are launching an investigation into Meta, the parent company of Facebook, following reports that its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots could engage minors in conversations with romantic or sexual undertones.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), chair of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on crime and counterterrorism, announced the inquiry Friday, with support from fellow member Marsha Blackburn. Hawley stated that Congress needs to assess 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.” He also called for the immediate release of the company’s internal documents.
The probe comes after an investigation revealed that Meta’s internal AI guidelines permitted chatbots to flirt with minors. One policy cited by reports allowed bots to describe a child as having a “youthful form \[that] is a work of art,” despite rules technically barring references to under-13s as sexually desirable. In practice, the policy would allow a bot to say to a shirtless eight-year-old, “every inch of you is a masterpiece – a treasure I cherish deeply.”
Meta confirmed the document’s authenticity, acknowledged the content “never should have been allowed,” and said it is currently revising the guidelines.
This case adds to a growing list of controversies for Meta, which is facing intensified legal and regulatory attention in both the US and Europe over issues including privacy, antitrust, and data handling. Critics have argued that the company’s pursuit of rapid growth and profit has sometimes fueled online harm, from promoting misinformation and hate speech to failing to adequately protect user data. More recently, Meta has invested heavily to become a leading force in artificial intelligence.
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