U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal are calling for accountability from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg following a damaging report about Meta’s AI-powered chatbots. The concerns arose from allegations that these chatbots have engaged in sexually explicit conversations with underage users, using voices and personas of celebrities and fictional characters across Facebook and Instagram platforms.
“We are appalled by the recent Wall Street Journal report detailing how Meta’s AI-powered chatbots on Facebook and Instagram have engaged in sexually explicit conversations with users, including minors, often using the voices and personas of celebrities and fictional characters. This is not merely an innocent oversight; it is a flagrant violation of the trust that parents and families place on your platforms. Despite repeated warnings and apparent internal concerns, Meta has once again prioritized profit over the safety and well-being of children. Your company’s decision to loosen content guidelines to allow ‘romantic role-play,’ even for user-generated bots portraying minors, is deeply troubling,” stated Blackburn and Blumenthal.
The senators emphasized that this is part of a recurring issue where Meta reportedly prioritizes growth over user safety, particularly concerning minors. “This pattern of behavior underscores a disturbing trend: Meta consistently chooses growth and engagement metrics over the protection of its most vulnerable users. As the Senate sponsors of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, we have consistently advocated for stronger safeguards to protect children online. Meta’s repeated failures highlight the urgent need for this legislation. It is clear that voluntary measures and internal policies are insufficient when it comes to holding big tech companies like yours accountable.”
Furthermore, the senators have urged Meta to halt the deployment of chatbots that may engage in inappropriate interactions with young users, and to provide comprehensive documentation on how these AI systems are managed and developed. “We call on you to take immediate action to address these egregious lapses. Meta should immediately cease the deployment of AI chatbots that can engage in any form of sexual or romantic conversation with minors. Further, we request that you provide documentation… demonstrating the decision-making processes related to the development and oversight of these AI systems. This documentation should include all relevant internal and external communications on this issue. The safety of our children should never be compromised for the sake of market competition. It is time for Meta to take responsibility and implement meaningful changes to protect young users from harm.”
