Ever chatted with an AI bot on your phone? In cities like Manila or Mumbai, teens are treating these virtual assistants like real friends. Now, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is zeroing in on these chatty AIs to make sure they’re not posing risks for kids and teens. 🤖❤️
The FTC sent info requests to seven big players—think Alphabet, Meta, OpenAI, Snap—and smaller outfits like Character.AI and Elon Musk’s xAI. They want to know: How do these companies keep kids safe? How do they build their chatbot "personalities"? And crucially, how do they handle our private chats?
“Protecting kids online is a top priority for the FTC,” said Chairman Andrew Ferguson, highlighting the need to balance young user safety with US AI leadership.
Why it matters: Kids can be super vulnerable to AI pals that mimic human emotions and relationships. Regulators worry that young users might spill sensitive info or get sucked into unhealthy attachments. Plus, there’s the privacy angle: Are these bots logging every secret? 🔒
The FTC’s toolkit includes broad investigative powers to peek into how these firms monetize engagement and enforce age checks under existing privacy laws. This probe isn’t about punishing anyone—yet. It’s more like a fact-finding mission that could spark new rules down the road.
Recently, the family of Adam Raine—a 16-year-old who died by suicide in April—filed a lawsuit blaming ChatGPT for not steering him away from self-harm. OpenAI says it’s already tweaking its bot to better respond to mental health crises. But the FTC wants to see the data: How often do chatbots suggest calling a friend or a hotline when users express suicidal thoughts?
For all of us using AI on the go—whether in Jakarta or Kathmandu—this inquiry sends a clear message: Tech giants need to prioritize safety, not just slick features. The digital age is awesome, but it’s on us (and regulators) to make sure it’s a safe space for the next generation. 🌏✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
