Meta faces US Senate probe over AI chatbots engaging with minors

Saturday 16 August 2025 - 11:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Meta faces US Senate probe over AI chatbots engaging with minors

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is under investigation after revelations that its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots were permitted to engage in romantic or sensual conversations with minors. The probe, announced Friday by Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo), chair of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on crime and counterterrorism, has the backing of Senator Marsha Blackburn, a fellow panel member.

Senator Hawley stated that the investigation will examine whether Meta’s generative AI tools have facilitated exploitation, deception, or criminal harm to children, as well as whether the company misled regulators and the public regarding its safeguards. He called on Meta to immediately provide internal documents related to the matter.

The investigation follows a Reuters report that exposed how Meta’s internal AI guidelines allowed chatbots to engage in inappropriate conversations with minors. According to the report, one company document permitted bots to describe a child as having a "youthful form [that] is a work of art," even though the same rules technically prohibited describing children under 13 as sexually desirable.

The guidelines also cited examples of bots addressing a shirtless eight-year-old with phrases such as, “Every inch of you is a masterpiece – a treasure I cherish deeply.” Meta has confirmed the authenticity of the document, acknowledged that such conversations “never should have been allowed,” and stated that the guidelines are being revised.

This controversy adds to Meta’s growing legal and regulatory challenges in the US and Europe, where it faces scrutiny over privacy, data practices, and antitrust violations. Critics argue that the company’s pursuit of growth and profit has often come at the expense of user safety, citing instances where its platforms amplified harmful content or failed to protect user data. More recently, Meta has made substantial investments to position itself as a leader in artificial intelligence, raising further questions about its oversight of emerging technologies.