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

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) said he intends to investigate whether Meta’s generative AI products exploit, deceive, or harm children, after leaked internal documents showed the company’s chatbots were allowed to have “romantic” and “sensual” chats with children. 

“Is there anything – ANYTHING – Big Tech won’t do for a quick buck?” Hawley wrote in a post on X announcing the investigation.

Hawley chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which he says will commence a probe into whether Meta’s tech harms children, and “whether Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards.”

Reuters broke the story after viewing the guidelines, titled “GenAI: Content Risk Standards.” The document noted, among other things, that chatbots were permitted to hold romantic conversations with an eight-year-old that said, “Every inch of you is a masterpiece – a treasure I  cherish deeply.” 

A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch that such examples are inconsistent with Meta’s policies and have since been removed. 

“It’s unacceptable that these policies were advanced in the first place,” Hawley wrote in a letter addressed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, saying that Meta acknowledged the veracity of the reports and “made retractions only after this alarming content came to light.”

“We intend to learn who approved these policies, how long they were in effect, and what Meta has done to stop this conduct going forward,” Hawley wrote. 

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

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

Others have endorsed the investigation, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). 

“When it comes to protecting precious children online, Meta has failed miserably by every possible measure,” Blackburn told TechCrunch. “Even worse, the company has turned a blind eye to the devastating consequences of how its platforms are designed. This report reaffirms why we need to pass the Kids Online Safety Act.”