US Senator Investigates Meta Over AI "Sensual" Chats with Children
Senator Josh Hawley has launched an investigation into Meta after a leaked document showed its AI was allowed to engage in "sensual" and "romantic" conversations with minors, prompting calls for transparency.
A leaked internal document titled "GenAI: Content Risk Standards" revealed that Meta’s AI systems were permitted to engage in "sensual" and "romantic" conversations with children under certain scenarios. Republican Senator Josh Hawley described the policy as "reprehensible and outrageous" and has requested access to the document and related products.
Meta Responds to Backlash
A Meta spokesperson told INLIBER News that the examples and notes in question were "erroneous and inconsistent with our policies" and have been removed. The company maintains strict rules that "prohibit content that sexualizes children or depicts sexualized role play between adults and minors."
Document Details
The internal policy also suggested that Meta’s chatbots could provide false medical information and engage in provocative discussions on topics such as sex, race and celebrities. The standards were intended to guide Meta AI and other chatbots on Meta’s platforms.
"Parents Deserve the Truth"
In a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Hawley wrote that "parents deserve the truth, and kids deserve protection." He highlighted an example where the chatbot was allowed to remark that an eight-year-old’s body is "a work of art" and "a masterpiece I cherish deeply." Reuters also reported that Meta’s legal team had deemed acceptable a policy allowing false celebrity claims if accompanied by a disclaimer.
The leaked policy has triggered a federal investigation into Meta’s AI safeguards amid concerns over the protection of minors.
This topic was reported by BBC News.
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