Republican Senators are demanding a congressional investigation into Meta following revelations that the company’s internal policies permitted AI chatbots to engage in romantic conversations with minors. The controversy emerged after Reuters obtained access to Meta’s policy documentation, which showed guidelines allowing artificial
intelligence to participate in “romantic or sensual” interactions with children.
The document, confirmed authentic by Meta, also revealed that chatbots were permitted to generate inaccurate medical information and engage in racially discriminatory discussions. Following Reuters’ inquiries, Meta moved swiftly to remove the controversial sections regarding child interactions from their policy guidelines.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone addressed the issue, stating that the company is currently revising its documentation and emphasizing that such interactions with minors were never meant to be allowed. “These examples and notes were erroneous and contradicted our policies,” Stone explained, adding that Meta maintains strict guidelines prohibiting the sexualization of minors in AI interactions.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) expressed strong criticism on X (formerly Twitter), pointing out that Meta only made these changes after being confronted by Reuters. “This warrants an immediate congressional investigation,” Hawley declared. His call for action received support from Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who views this incident as further evidence for the necessity of enhanced online child protection measures.
Blackburn, who co-sponsored the Kids Online Safety Act – which passed in the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support but stalled in the House – has reintroduced the legislation this year. The Act would require social media platforms to implement reasonable safeguards in their design and operation to protect minors from various online threats, including sexual exploitation and cyberbullying.
The proposed legislation would mandate platforms to provide enhanced privacy settings for minors and equip parents with tools to monitor their children’s online activities. “Meta has consistently failed in protecting children online,” Blackburn stated, criticizing the company’s approach to platform safety.
Reuters’ analysis revealed that while the document acknowledged these standards might not represent “ideal or even preferable” AI outputs, such controversial interactions were nevertheless permitted under the guidelines.
Democratic senators have also voiced their concerns. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) described the standards as “deeply disturbing and wrong,” arguing that Section 230’s liability protections should not extend to companies’ AI chatbots. “Meta and Zuckerberg must be held accountable for any harm these bots cause,” Wyden insisted.
Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) cited the report as evidence of the crucial need for AI safeguards, particularly concerning children’s safety. When approached for additional comment on Senator Hawley’s investigation demands, Meta’s spokesperson reiterated their previous statement but declined to address the senator’s specific remarks.
The controversy highlights growing concerns about AI technology’s potential risks to minors and the need for stronger regulatory frameworks to protect young users online. With bipartisan support building for enhanced oversight of social media platforms and their AI implementations, the incident may accelerate efforts to implement more stringent safety measures for children in digital spaces.