Sen. Hawley to probe Meta after report finds its AI chatbots flirt with kids

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) said he is planning to investigate whether the generative AI products from Meta products are operating, misleading or damaging, after leaked internal documents demonstrated that the chatbots of the company could have ‘romantic’ and ‘sensual’ chats with children.

“Is there something – something – big technology will not do for a fast dollar?” Hawley wrote in one Post on X announcing the research.

Hawley is chairman of the Senate -Law Subcommissie on Crime and Terrorism, which he says it will start an investigation whether the technology of Meta is damaging children, and “whether Meta has led the public or supervisors about his guarantees.”

Reuters broke the story after viewing the guidelines, entitled “Genai: content risk standards.” Among other things, the document noticed that chatbots were allowed to have romantic conversations with an 8-year-old who said: “Every centimeter of you is a masterpiece-a darling that I cherish deeply.”

A Meta spokesperson told WAN that such examples are not consistent with Meta’s policy and have since been removed.

“It is unacceptable that this policy had been demanded in the first place,” Hawley wrote in a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and said that Meta recognized the truthfulness of the reports and “only moves after this alarming content came to light.”

“We are planning to learn who approved this policy, how long they were in force and what Meta did to stop this behavior in the future,” wrote Hawley.

Hawley has asked Meta to produce the guidelines, including each concept, redline and definitive version, as well as lists of each product that adheres to those standards, other safety and incident reports and the identities of people responsible for changing the policy.

Meta has until September 19 to provide the information, says the letter.

Others have approved the research, including senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

“When it comes to the online protection of precious children, Meta has failed miserably due to every possible measure,” Blackburn told WAN. “Even worse, the company has a blind eye for the devastating consequences of how its platforms are designed. This report again confirms why we should pass on the children’s online safety act.”

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