Sen. Hawley to probe Meta AI bot policies for children following damning report

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, announced on Friday that he would be initiating an inquiry into Meta Platforms Inc. This comes in light of a concerning report revealing that the company had established guidelines permitting its artificial intelligence chatbots to engage in certain "romantic" and "sensual" conversations with minors. Hawley has urged Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to safeguard all pertinent documents, including emails, as part of the investigation. The senator's probe aims to uncover whether Meta's generative AI products could potentially expose children to exploitation, deception, or other criminal activities. Additionally, he intends to determine if the company misled either the public or regulatory bodies regarding its safety measures. "Is there anything - ANYTHING - Big Tech won't do for a quick buck?" Hawley remarked in a post on social media platform X, where he announced his investigation. Meta has chosen not to comment on the senator's request. The investigation was prompted by a Reuters report highlighting an internal document that outlined acceptable behaviors for Meta's AI chatbots, which staff and contractors were instructed to follow while developing the technology. This document reportedly indicated that a chatbot could engage in a romantic dialogue with an eight-year-old, making statements such as, "every inch of you is a masterpiece – a treasure I cherish deeply." According to the report, the guidelines allowed chatbots to describe children in ways that suggest their attractiveness, such as calling a child’s physique "a work of art." However, it was noted that the chatbots would be restricted from engaging in conversations that overtly sexualize children under the age of 13. Hawley stated, "We intend to learn who approved these policies, how long they were in effect, and what actions Meta has taken to prevent such conduct in the future." A spokesperson for Meta responded to the allegations by stating that the examples referenced were erroneous and inconsistent with the company's policies, asserting that they have since been removed. The spokesperson emphasized, "We have clear policies prohibiting content that sexualizes children and prohibits sexualized role play between adults and minors." In his request for information, Hawley has demanded that Meta provide documentation regarding the risks and standards associated with its generative AI content, a list of products adhering to these policies, and various safety and incident reports. He also seeks to examine communications related to child safety and details about the personnel involved in the AI policy decisions to trace the approval process for these guidelines. The deadline for Meta to submit these documents is set for September 19, as stated in the senator's letter.