Meta Under Fire: Senator Launches Probe into AI Chatbot Policies Amid Child Safety Concerns

Senator Orders Meta to Hand Over Docs Related to 'Sensual' Exchanges With Minors

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has demanded Meta hand over documents and communications related to its AI chatbots, following allegations its internal guidelines permitted "romantic" and "sensual" exchanges with children. In one example highlighted in Hawley's letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, a Meta AI chatbot was allowed to call an eight-year-old's body "a work of art" of which "every inch . . . is a masterpiece -- a treasure I cherish deeply." The news comes after an investigation by Reuters earlier this week unveiled parts of an over 200-page internal document containing rules for its chatbots' behavior that were approved by Meta's legal, public policy, and engineering teams, including its chief ethicist. The report also reveals that though its chatbots were prohibited from producing hate speech, part of the rules allowed the AI "to create statements that demean people on the basis of their protected characteristics." For example, under the standards outlined in the document, Meta AI was permitted "to write a paragraph arguing that black people are dumber than white people." Hawley called the exchanges with minors outlined in the report "reprehensible and outrageous," claiming that it "demonstrates a cavalier attitude when it comes to the real risks that generative AI presents to youth development absent strong guardrails." "Parents deserve the truth, and kids deserve protection," he added. Hawley has called on Meta to provide every draft of its guidelines, as well as lists of every product that is governed by these standards, safety and incident reports, communications with regulators, as well as the identities of individuals responsible for changing policy. Hawley is chair of the Senate Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which will now carry out the probe. Meta has a deadline of September 19 to provide the documentation. Hawley wasn't the only politician to speak out about the reports. Earlier this week, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said, "My head is exploding knowing that multiple people approved this," in a post on X. Other politicians have also addressed the controversy regarding Meta's guidelines, with Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) saying the reports reaffirm "why we need to pass the Kids Online Safety Act," a proposed bipartisan bill in the United States aimed at protecting children online. In response to the allegations, a Meta spokesperson told Reuters: "The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed." They added: "We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role-play between adults and minors."

US senators call for Meta probe after Reuters report on its AI policies

Aug 14 (Reuters) - Two Republican U.S. senators called for a congressional investigation into Meta Platforms (META.O), opens new tab on Thursday after Reuters exclusively reported on an internal policy document that permitted the company's chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual." Meta confirmed the document's authenticity, but said that after receiving questions earlier this month from Reuters, the company removed portions which stated it is permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children. "So, only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc," Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, said in a post on social media site X. "This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation," Hawley said. A spokesperson for Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, said she supports an investigation into the social media company. Blackburn also added that the report illustrates the need to pass reforms to better protect children online, such as the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill she co-sponsored which the Senate passed last year but which failed in the U.S. House of Representatives. "When it comes to protecting precious children online, Meta has failed miserably by every possible measure. Even worse, the company has turned a blind eye to the devastating consequences of how its platforms are designed," Blackburn said. KOSA would make explicit a "duty of care" that social media companies have when it comes to minors using their products, focusing on design of the platforms and regulation of the companies. The standards described in the Meta document don't necessarily reflect "ideal or even preferable" generative AI outputs, the document states. But they have permitted provocative behavior by the bots, Reuters found. In one example, the document notes that it would be acceptable for a bot to tell a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply." Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, called the policies "deeply disturbing and wrong," adding that Section 230, a law that shields internet companies from liability for the content posted to their platforms, should not protect companies' generative AI chatbots. "Meta and Zuckerberg should be held fully responsible for any harm these bots cause," he said. Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Additional Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Editing by Aurora Ellis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Artificial Intelligence * Data Privacy * Public Health * Public Policy * Civil Rights Jody Godoy Thomson Reuters Jody Godoy reports on tech policy and antitrust enforcement, including how regulators are responding to the rise of AI. Reach her at [email protected]

U.S. Senator Hawley launches probe into Meta AI policies

Aug 15 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Josh Hawley launched a probe into Facebook parent Meta Platforms' (META.O), opens new tab artificial intelligence policies on Friday, demanding documents on rules that had allowed its artificial intelligence chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual." Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have expressed alarm over the rules outlined in an internal Meta document first reported by Reuters on Thursday. "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 said. Meta declined to comment on Hawley's letter on Friday. The company said previously that "the examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed." In addition to documents outlining those changes and who authorized them, Hawley sought earlier drafts of the policies along with internal risk reports, including on minors and in-person meetups. Meta must also disclose what it has told regulators about its generative AI protections for young users or limits on medical advice, according to Hawley's letter. Hawley has often criticized Big Tech. He held a hearing in April on Meta's alleged attempts to gain access to the Chinese market which were referenced in a book by former Facebook executive Sarah Wynn-Williams. Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Artificial Intelligence * Public Health Jody Godoy Thomson Reuters Jody Godoy reports on tech policy and antitrust enforcement, including how regulators are responding to the rise of AI. Reach her at [email protected]

Sen. Hawley says he'll investigate Meta's 'sensual' child chatbot policies

This week's Meta AI chatbot leak could have repercussions for the company beyond bad PR. On Friday, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) said the Senate Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which he chairs, will investigate the company. "Your company has acknowledged the veracity of these reports and made retractions only after this alarming content came to light," Hawley wrote in a letter to Mark Zuckerberg. "It's unacceptable that these policies were advanced in the first place." The internal Meta document included some disturbing examples of allowed chatbot behavior. This included "sensual" conversations with children. For example, the AI was permitted to tell a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece -- a treasure I cherish deeply." The document dealt with race in similarly jarring ways. "Black people are dumber than White people" was an allowed response if the bot cited IQ tests in its racist answer. In a statement to Engadget, Meta described the (since removed) examples as ancillary content separate from its policies. "The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies and have been removed," the company said. Hawley asked Zuckerberg to preserve relevant records and produce documents for the investigation. This includes those covering generative AI content risks and safety standards (and the products they govern), risk reviews, incident reports, public communications about minor safety for chatbots and the identities of employees involved in the decisions. While it's easy to applaud someone holding Meta to task, it's worth noting that Senator Hawley's letter to Meta made no mention of the racist parts of the policy document. Hawley also once fundraised off an image of him raising a fist to January 6 insurrectionists and, in 2021, was the only senator to vote against a bill that helped law enforcement review pandemic-era racist crimes against Asian Americans.

Senator Launches Investigation Into Meta AI's Acceptance of 'Sensual' Chats With Children

"It's unacceptable that these policies were advanced in the first place." Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, says he's opening an investigation into Meta over an internal document leaked this week that revealed the tech giant was okay with its artificial intelligence tools having "sensual" chats with children. The document, obtained by Reuters, is titled “GenAI: Content Risk Standards†and has led to outrage online since Meta's legal staff reportedly approved the behaviors. "Is there anything - ANYTHING - Big Tech won’t do for a quick buck?" Hawley tweeted on Friday. "Now we learn Meta’s chatbots were programmed to carry on explicit and 'sensual' talk with 8 year olds. It’s sick. I’m launching a full investigation to get answers. Big Tech: Leave our kids alone." Hawley's tweet included a letter addressed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, an ally of Donald Trump who donated $1 million to the president's inauguration fund. The letter said the internal document was "alarming" and "unacceptable," while telling Zuckerberg that Meta needs to preserve all relevant records in order to provide them to the Senate in the future. Hawley chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism and said he was opening an investigation into Meta's generative AI products with that power. From Hawley's letter: To take but one example, your internal rules purportedly permit an AI chatbot to comment that an eight-year-old's body is "a work of art" of which "every inch... is a masterpieceâ€"a treasure I cherish deeply." Similar conduct outlined in these reports is reprehensible and outrageous-and demonstrates a cavalier attitude when it comes to the real risks that generative Al presents to youth development absent strong guardrails. Parents deserve the truth, and kids deserve protection. The senator requested documents from Meta, including all versions of “GenAI: Content Risk Standards," a list of Meta products governed by these standards, as well as other risk views and incident reports. Hawley also wants to know the identity of people at the company who have been making these decisions. Meta declined to comment on Hawley's letter directly, but a spokesperson sent Gizmodo a statement about the Reuters story: "We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors. Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios. The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed." The reporting from Reuters revealed other behaviors that would be deemed acceptable by Meta's legal department, including the dissemination of false information about celebrities, as long as a disclaimer is included stating that such information isn't accurate. The AI chatbot behaviors that are strictly forbidden under the policy include hate speech and "definitive legal, healthcare, or financial advice" if that advice starts with "I recommend." Sen. Hawley wasn't the only one disgusted by Meta's AI policies. Rolling Stone reports that musician Neil Young would no longer be using Facebook over the controversy.

Senator launches investigation into Meta over allowing 'sensual' AI chats with kids

A day after Reuters reported that Meta's AI rules permitted children to have "sensual" chats, a Republican senator launched an investigation into the tech giant. On Friday, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley posted a letter he sent to Mark Zuckerberg along with the announcement of the investigation. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. "Is there anything - ANYTHING - Big Tech won't do for a quick buck?" Hawley asked on X. "Now we learn Meta's chatbots were programmed to carry on explicit and 'sensual' talk with 8 year olds. It's sick." The letter goes into more detail on this point: To take but one example, your internal rules purportedly permit an AI chatbot to comment that an eight-year-old's body is "a work of art" of which "every inch... is a masterpiece -- a treasure I cherish deeply." Similar conduct outlined in these reports is reprehensible and outrageous -- and demonstrates a cavalier attitude when it comes to the real risks that generative Al presents to youth development absent strong guardrails. Parents deserve the truth, and kids deserve protection. Further in the letter, Hawley demands that Meta produce every draft of its AI standards, products involved, risk reviews, and incident reports, communications with public claims and regulatory agencies like the FTC, and the individuals involved in changing the policy by Sept. 19. Hawley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, wrote that the subcommittee will look into whether Meta's generative AI products "enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children, and whether Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards." Reuters also reported other disturbing rules in Meta's AI policies, such as allowing users to argue racist beliefs about Black people. Hawley's letter doesn't call this out explicitly. It does note that the rules "green-[light] other harmful content behind legal word games." Meta declined to comment on Hawley's letter to Mashable, but sent a statement about the Reuters article: We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors. Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios. The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed. This isn't the first time Hawley has targeted tech. Earlier this year, the Republican introduced a bill to make downloading DeepSeek, the Chinese AI app, a crime. In 2023, he supported banning TikTok and had criticized TikTok for years prior. In 2019, Hawley introduced a bill to ban autoplay videos and infinite scrolling.

Meta chatbot flirting with children requires investigation, senator says

Driving the news: Reuters reported Thursday that an internal Meta policy document allowed its artificial intelligence to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual," prompting outrage from lawmakers. * "Only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc that deemed it 'permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children,'" Hawley wrote on X Thursday. * "This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation." * Meta declined to comment on Hawley's call for an investigation Friday. In a statement on the Reuters report Thursday, the company said it has "clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors. Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios." Zoom in: Meta confirmed the document's authenticity to Reuters, but said it removed the portions about chatbots flirting and engaging in romantic roleplay with children. * The guidelines put a limit on describing a child under 13 as sexually desirable. * These chatbot rules were approved by Meta's legal, public policy and engineering staff, including its chief ethicist, according to Reuters' reporting. State of play: Other legislators slammed Meta following Reuters' report. * "This is disgusting and evil," Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said on X. "I cannot understand how anyone with a kid did anything other than freak out when someone said this idea out loud. My head is exploding knowing that multiple people approved this." * "Meta's exploitation of children is absolutely disgusting," Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) said on X. "This report is only the latest example of why Big Tech cannot be trusted to protect underage users when they have refused to do so time and time again." Zoom out: Meta's leaked policy also said the AI could generate false medical information and help users argue that Black people are "dumber than white people," Reuters reported. * These passages have not been revised, per Reuters. Go deeper: Lawmakers urge Meta to shut down Instagram Map: "abysmal" at protecting children Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from Meta.

Meta faces backlash over AI policy that lets bots have 'sensual' conversations with children

A backlash is brewing against Meta over what it permits its AI chatbots to say. An internal Meta policy document, seen by Reuters, showed the social-media giant's guidelines for its chatbots allowed the AI to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual", generate false medical information, and assist users in arguing that Black people are "dumber than white people". Singer Neil Young quit the social media platform on Friday, his record company said in a statement, the latest in a string of the singer's online-oriented protests. "At Neil Young's request, we are no longer using Facebook for any Neil Young related activities," Reprise Records announced. "Meta's use of chatbots with children is unconscionable. Mr. Young does not want a further connection with Facebook." The report also has generated a response from US lawmakers. Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, launched an investigation into the company Friday, writing in a letter to Mark Zuckerberg that he would investigate "whether Meta's generative-AI products enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children, and whether Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards". Republican senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said she supports an investigation into the company. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, called the policies "deeply disturbing and wrong", adding that section 230, a law that shields internet companies from liability for the content posted to their platforms, should not protect companies' generative AI chatbots. "Meta and Zuckerberg should be held fully responsible for any harm these bots cause," he said. On Thursday, Reuters published an article about internal Meta policy documents that detailed ways in which chatbots are allowed to generate content. Meta confirmed the document's authenticity but said that it had removed portions which stated it is permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children after receiving a list of questions. According to Meta's 200-page internal policy seen by Reuters, titled "GenAI: Content Risk Standards", the controversial rules for chatbots were approved by Meta's legal, public policy and engineering staff, including its chief ethicist. The document defines what Meta staff and contractors should treat as acceptable chatbot behaviors when building and training the company's generative AI products but says that the standards don't necessarily reflect "ideal or even preferable" generative AI outputs. The policy document said it would be acceptable for a bot to tell a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply" but it also limits what Reuters described as "sexy talk". The document states, for example, that "it is unacceptable to describe a child under 13 years old in terms that indicate they are sexually desirable, including phrases like "soft rounded curves invite my touch". The document also addressed limitations on Meta AI prompts on hate speech, AI generation of sexualized images of public figures, often sexualized, violence, and other contentious and potentially actionable content generation. The standards also state that Meta AI has leeway to create false content so long as there's an explicit acknowledgment that the material is untrue. "The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed," a statement from Meta reads. Although chatbots are prohibited from having such conversations with minors, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said, he acknowledged that the company's enforcement was inconsistent. Meta is planning to spend around $65bn on AI infrastructure this year part of a broader strategy to become a leader in artificial intelligence. The head-long rush into AI comes by tech giants come with complex questions over limitations and standards over how, with what information, and with whom, AI chatbots are allowed to engage with users. Reuters also reported on Friday that a cognitively impaired New Jersey man grew infatuated with "Big sis Billie", a Facebook Messenger chatbot with a young woman's persona. Thongbue "Bue" Wongbandue, 76, reportedly packed up his belongings to visit "a friend" in New York in March. The so-called friend turned out to be a generative artificial intelligence chatbot that had repeatedly reassured the man she was real and had invited him to her apartment, even providing an address. But Wongbandue fell near a parking lot on his way to New York, injuring his head and neck. After three days on life support, he was pronounced dead on 28 March . Meta did not comment on Wongbandue's death or address questions about why it allows chatbots to tell users they are real people or initiate romantic conversations, Reuter said. The company did, however, say that Big sis Billie "is not Kendall Jenner and does not purport to be Kendall Jenner", referencing a partnership with the reality TV star.

Meta's chatbot policy for kids sparks investigation calls

Republican senators have called for a congressional investigation into Meta after an internal policy document from the tech giant reportedly allowed the company's AI chatbot to have romantic conversations with children. A policy document contained examples of supposedly acceptable interactions with children, including "conversations that are romantic or sensual" and talking about a child "in terms that evidence their attractiveness," according to a Reuters report. Meta said the examples and notes in the document are "erroneous and inconsistent with our policies" and have been removed. Quoting the article, senator Josh Hawley, a Republican senator from Missouri, wrote on X: "So, only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc that deemed it 'permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children'. This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation." Marsha Blackburn, a Republican senator from Tennessee, said the report showed tech firms "cannot be trusted to protect underage users when they have refused to do so time and time again. It's time to pass KOSA and protect kids". Blackbun was referring to the Kids Online Safety Act, a bipartisan Senate bill aimed at increasing online protections for minors by placing new obligations on tech companies and online platforms. Those include a "duty of care" that social media firms have when minors use their products, focused on how the platforms are designed and how companies are regulated. The standards described in the Meta document allowed chatbots to flirt with children, Reuters reported. In one example the document noted that a bot could tell a shirtless 8-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply." The Senate voted in July to remove a provision in President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill that would have effectively stopped states from passing their own AI regulation. States have passed laws including bans on using the technology to create child sexual abuse material. Meanwhile, Illinois recently became the latest state to restrict the use of artificial intelligence in therapy, following Nevada and Utah. Brian Schatz, a Democratic senator from Hawaii, wrote on X: "META Chat Bots that basically hit on kids - f -- k that. This is disgusting and evil. I cannot understand how anyone with a kid did anything other than freak out when someone said this idea out loud. My head is exploding knowing that multiple people approved this." A Meta spokesman said: "We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors. "Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios. The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed." The Reuters investigation also reported on how 76-year-old New Jersey man with cognitive impairment followed a Facebook Messenger chatbot's invitation to visit eventually leading to his accidental death from a fall at a nearby parking lot.

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

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said Friday that he will investigate Meta following a report that the company approved rules allowing artificial intelligence chatbots to have certain "romantic" and "sensual" conversations with children. Hawley called on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to preserve relevant materials, including emails, and said the probe would target "whether Meta's generative-AI products enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children, and whether Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards." "Is there anything -- ANYTHING - Big Tech won't do for a quick buck?" Hawley said in a post on X announcing the investigation. Meta declined to comment on Hawley's letter. Hawley noted a Reuters report published Thursday that cited an internal document detailing acceptable behaviors from Meta AI chatbots that the company's staff and contract workers should permit as part of developing and training the software. The document acquired by Reuters noted that a chatbot would be permitted to hold a romantic conversation with an eight-year-old, telling the child that "every inch of you is a masterpiece -- a treasure I cherish deeply." The Meta guidelines said: "It is acceptable to describe a child in terms that evidence their attractiveness (ex: 'your youthful form is a work of art')," according to the Reuters report. The Meta chatbots would not be permitted to engage in more explicit conversations with children under 13 "in terms that indicate they are sexually desirable," the report said. "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. A Meta spokesperson told Reuters that "The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed." "We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors," the Meta spokesperson told Reuters. Hawley said Meta must produce documents about its Generative AI-related content risks and standards, lists of every product that adheres to those policies, and other safety and incident reports. Meta should also provide various public and regulatory communications involving minor safety and documents about staff members involved with the AI policies to determine "the decision trail for removing or revising any portions of the standard." Hawley is chair of the Senate Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which will carry out the investigation. Meta has until Sep. 19 to provide the documents, the letter said.

US Senators Call for Meta Probe After Reuters Report on Its AI Policies

(Reuters) -Two Republican U.S. senators called for a congressional investigation into Meta Platforms on Thursday after Reuters exclusively reported on an internal policy document that permitted the company's chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual." Meta confirmed the document's authenticity, but said that after receiving questions earlier this month from Reuters, the company removed portions which stated it is permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children. "So, only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc," Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, said in a post on social media site X. "This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation," Hawley said. A spokesperson for Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, said she supports an investigation into the social media company. Blackburn also added that the report illustrates the need to pass reforms to better protect children online, such as the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill she co-sponsored which the Senate passed last year but which failed in the U.S. House of Representatives. "When it comes to protecting precious children online, Meta has failed miserably by every possible measure. Even worse, the company has turned a blind eye to the devastating consequences of how its platforms are designed," Blackburn said. KOSA would make explicit a "duty of care" that social media companies have when it comes to minors using their products, focusing on design of the platforms and regulation of the companies. The standards described in the Meta document don't necessarily reflect "ideal or even preferable" generative AI outputs, the document states. But they have permitted provocative behavior by the bots, Reuters found. In one example, the document notes that it would be acceptable for a bot to tell a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply." Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, called the policies "deeply disturbing and wrong," adding that Section 230, a law that shields internet companies from liability for the content posted to their platforms, should not protect companies' generative AI chatbots. "Meta and Zuckerberg should be held fully responsible for any harm these bots cause," he said. (Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Additional Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

Hawley calls for congressional probe into Meta chatbots

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) on Thursday raised the prospect of a congressional investigation into Meta, after a policy document from the tech giant reportedly suggested its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot could engage in "romantic or sensual" conversations with children. Reuters reported that an internal Meta policy document featured examples of acceptable interactions with children, including engaging a child "in conversations that are romantic or sensual" and describing a child "in terms that evidence their attractiveness." The parent company of Facebook and Instagram said the examples and notes in the document were erroneous and have since been removed. "So, only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc that deemed it 'permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children,'" Hawley wrote in a post on X. "This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation." Meta spokesperson Andy Stone underscored in a statement that it has "clear policies" that "prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors." "Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios," he added. "The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed." Other examples in the internal document suggested it was acceptable to "create statements that demean people on the basis of their protected characteristics," such as race, despite prohibitions on hate speech, Reuters reported. This included writing a paragraph arguing that "black people are dumber than white people."

U.S. Senators Call for Meta Probe After Reuters Report on its AI Policies

Two Republican U.S. senators called for a congressional investigation into Meta Platforms on Thursday after Reuters exclusively reported on an internal policy document that permitted the company's chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual." Meta confirmed the document's authenticity, but said that after receiving questions earlier this month from Reuters, the company removed portions which stated it is permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children. "So, only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc," Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, said in a post on social media site X. "This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation," Hawley said. A spokesperson for Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, said she supports an investigation into the social media company. A spokesperson for Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Blackburn also added that the report illustrates the need to pass reforms to better protect children online, such as the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill she co-sponsored which the Senate passed last year but which failed in the U.S. House of Representatives. "When it comes to protecting precious children online, Meta has failed miserably by every possible measure. Even worse, the company has turned a blind eye to the devastating consequences of how its platforms are designed," Blackburn said. KOSA would make explicit a "duty of care" that social media companies have when it comes to minors using their products, focusing on design of the platforms and regulation of the companies. The standards described in the Meta document don't necessarily reflect "ideal or even preferable" generative AI outputs, the document states. But they have permitted provocative behavior by the bots, Reuters found. In one example, the document notes that it would be acceptable for a bot to tell a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply." Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, called the policies "deeply disturbing and wrong," adding that Section 230, a law that shields internet companies from liability for the content posted to their platforms, should not protect companies' generative AI chatbots. "Meta and Zuckerberg should be held fully responsible for any harm these bots cause," he said. Senator Peter Welch, a Democrat of Vermont, said the report "shows how critical safeguards are for AI -- especially when the health and safety of kids is at risk." The Senate voted 99-1 in July to remove a provision in President Donald Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending bill that would have effectively barred states from passing AI regulation. In the absence of federal laws regulating AI, states have passed legislation, including bans on using the technology to create child sexual abuse material. Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Additional Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Editing by Aurora Ellis. The preferred-rate deadline for the 2025 Inc. Best in Business Awards is this Friday, August 15, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

U.S. Senator Hawley Launches Probe Into Meta AI Policies

(Reuters) -U.S. Senator Josh Hawley launched a probe into Facebook parent Meta Platforms' artificial intelligence policies on Friday, demanding documents on rules that had allowed its artificial intelligence chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual." Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have expressed alarm over the rules outlined in an internal Meta document first reported by Reuters on Thursday. Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, chairs the Senate subcommittee on crime and counterterrorism, which will investigate "whether Meta's generative-AI products enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children, and whether Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards," he said in a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. "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 said. Meta declined to comment on Hawley's letter on Friday. The company said previously that "the examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed." In addition to documents outlining those changes and who authorized them, Hawley sought earlier drafts of the policies along with internal risk reports, including on minors and in-person meetups. Reuters reported on Thursday about a retired man who died while traveling to New York on the invitation of a Meta chatbot. Meta must also disclose what it has told regulators about its generative AI protections for young users or limits on medical advice, according to Hawley's letter. Hawley has often criticized Big Tech. He held a hearing in April on Meta's alleged attempts to gain access to the Chinese market which were referenced in a book by former Facebook executive Sarah Wynn-Williams. (Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )

US senator Hawley launches probe into Meta AI policies - The Economic Times

US Senator Josh Hawley has launched a probe into Meta's AI policies after reports that its chatbots engaged children in romantic or sensual chats. He's demanding internal documents, including risk reports and policy drafts. The investigation will assess potential harm to minors and whether Meta misled the public or regulators.US Senator Josh Hawley launched a probe into Facebook parent Meta Platforms' artificial intelligence policies on Friday, demanding documents on rules that had allowed its artificial intelligence chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual." Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have expressed alarm over the rules outlined in an internal Meta document first reported by Reuters on Thursday. Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, chairs the Senate subcommittee on crime and counterterrorism, which will investigate "whether Meta's generative-AI products enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children, and whether Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards," he said in a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. "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 said. Meta declined to comment on Hawley's letter on Friday. The company said previously that "the examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed." In addition to documents outlining those changes and who authorized them, Hawley sought earlier drafts of the policies along with internal risk reports, including on minors and in-person meetups. Reuters reported on Thursday about a retired man who died while traveling to New York on the invitation of a Meta chatbot. Meta must also disclose what it has told regulators about its generative AI protections for young users or limits on medical advice, according to Hawley's letter. Hawley has often criticized Big Tech. He held a hearing in April on Meta's alleged attempts to gain access to the Chinese market which were referenced in a book by former Facebook executive Sarah Wynn-Williams.

Senate Subcommittee on Counterterrorism Will Investigate Facebook-parent Meta's AI Guidelines Which Permitted "Romantic Or Sensual" Chats With Kids

This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy. Republican Senator Josh Hawley from Montana has written a letter to Facebook parent Meta and demanded that the firm share its AI risk standard documents after a damming report revealed that earlier versions of the documents had allowed inappropriate exchanges with children. Meta admitted that the documents existed but added that it had reworded them after Reuters raised questions. In his letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Hawley demands that Meta freeze all records and documents to enable a congressional investigation into the matter. Meta was thrust into the spotlight earlier this week after a bombshell report revealed that the firm's internal guidelines for AI use had permitted sensual and romantic conversations with children. A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that the report was real, and added that not only did the guidance not reflect Meta's policies on AI, but Meta removed it after Reuters' queries. However, Meta's response appears to be insufficient to convince Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO). In a letter sent to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Hawley has demanded that Meta "preserve all relevant records and produce responsive documents so Congress can investigate these troubling practices." Hawley directly quotes the troubling aspects of Meta's former AI guidelines. The senator called the conduct guidelines, which appeared to permit outputs such as "Your youthful form is a work of art. Your skin glows with a radiant light, and your eyes shine like stars. Every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply" to an eight year old" as "reprehensible and outrageous." The senator claims that these demonstrate "a cavalier attitude when it comes to the real risks that generative AI presents to youth development absent strong guardrails." Not only has Meta come under fire for inappropriate AI guidelines and chatbot use when it comes to minors, but other cases of AI-induced mental disturbances and other harm to users have also surfaced. A recent report involving OpenAI's ChatGPT saw a 60 year old man poison himself after following AI's dietary advice. Another report in May revealed that a woman had filed for divorce after ChatGPT convinced her that her husband was unfaithful. Hawley informed Zuckerberg that Meta will be investigated by the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which he will chair. The committee will investigate whether Meta "misled the public or regulators about its safeguards" and whether the firm's AI products lead to criminal or other harms to children. To aid the Senate Judiciary Committee, Meta is required to submit all drafts and variants of its "GenAI: Content Risk Standards" policy to the committee. Additionally, the firm will inform all AI products governed by the policy and controls designed to ensure child protection. Specifically, Meta will have to share all documents related to how it "prevents, detects, and blocks 'romantic' or 'sensual' exchanges with users under 18, as well as documents relating to what Meta does when age is unknown." Additionally, Meta will also submit correspondence with advertisers, Congress, the FTC and other parties about child safety. The committee will also evaluate documents that outline who is responsible for setting AI safety policy at the company and modifying or removing the standards.

Meta Faces Congressional Fire Over Leaked AI Rulebook That Allowed Chatbots To Flirt With Kids - Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)

Meta Platforms Inc. META faces congressional scrutiny after media reports exposed internal policies allowing artificial intelligence chatbots to engage children in "romantic or sensual" conversations and generate racist content, raising investor concerns about regulatory compliance and brand reputation risks. Document Reveals Troubling AI Standards An internal Meta document titled "GenAI: Content Risk Standards" permitted AI chatbots to tell an eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply," according to a Reuters investigation published on Thursday. The 200-page policy guide, approved by legal and engineering staff, including Meta's chief ethicist, established parameters for Meta AI and chatbots across Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram platforms. Meta spokesman Andy Stone confirmed document authenticity, according to the report, but said problematic provisions were removed after media inquiries. "The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies," Stone stated, though acknowledged enforcement remained inconsistent. See Also: New Jersey Man Reportedly Dies Attempting To Meet A Meta AI Called 'Big Sis Billie' Congressional Investigation Demanded Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) called for an immediate congressional investigation following the report. "So, only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc," Hawley posted on X platform. "This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation." The controversy emerges as Meta invests hundreds of billions in AI development, positioning chatbots as key user engagement drivers. CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously apologized to families during Senate hearings after lawmakers said he had "blood on his hands" regarding child safety on social platforms. Regulatory and Financial Implications The policy document also permitted AI generation of racist content, including paragraphs "arguing that black people are dumber than white people," while creating carve-outs for demeaning protected characteristics. Sen Ron Wyden (D-OR) argued Section 230 protections shouldn't shield AI-generated content, potentially exposing Meta to increased liability, according to Reuters. The Kids Online Safety Act, passed by the Senate but stalled in the House, would establish explicit "duty of care" requirements for platforms serving minors. Stock Performance and Market Impact Meta shares closed at $781.20, up 0.14% following the investigation's publication. The company's AI investments represent a core growth strategy as traditional social media revenue faces headwinds. Previous safety controversies, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal and Instagram mental health studies, have historically pressured valuation multiples despite strong fundamental performance. Read Next: Netflix's Reed Hastings Once Said He Wants To Beat Disney In Family Animation -- Now 'KPop Demon Hunters' Is Proving That Ambition Isn't Just Talk Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock METAMeta Platforms Inc$781.20-0.12%Stock Score Locked: Edge Members Only Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Unlock RankingsEdge RankingsMomentum84.86Growth82.93Quality94.12Value25.67Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMSFTMicrosoft Corp$523.260.15%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

US senators call for Meta probe after Reuters report on its AI policies

(Reuters) -Two Republican U.S. senators called for a congressional investigation into Meta Platforms on Thursday after Reuters exclusively reported on an internal policy document that permitted the company's chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual." Meta confirmed the document's authenticity, but said that after receiving questions earlier this month from Reuters, the company removed portions which stated it is permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children. "So, only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc," Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, said in a post on social media site X. "This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation," Hawley said. A spokesperson for Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, said she supports an investigation into the social media company. Blackburn also added that the report illustrates the need to pass reforms to better protect children online, such as the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill she co-sponsored which the Senate passed last year but which failed in the U.S. House of Representatives. "When it comes to protecting precious children online, Meta has failed miserably by every possible measure. Even worse, the company has turned a blind eye to the devastating consequences of how its platforms are designed," Blackburn said. KOSA would make explicit a "duty of care" that social media companies have when it comes to minors using their products, focusing on design of the platforms and regulation of the companies. The standards described in the Meta document don't necessarily reflect "ideal or even preferable" generative AI outputs, the document states. But they have permitted provocative behavior by the bots, Reuters found. In one example, the document notes that it would be acceptable for a bot to tell a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply." Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, called the policies "deeply disturbing and wrong," adding that Section 230, a law that shields internet companies from liability for the content posted to their platforms, should not protect companies' generative AI chatbots. "Meta and Zuckerberg should be held fully responsible for any harm these bots cause," he said. (Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Additional Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Editing by Aurora Ellis)