Gallego, others question Meta on policies for kids using AI

Gallego, others question Meta on policies for kids using AI

U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, along with nine other senators, wrote a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg this week inquiring about the company’s policies surrounding children’s interactions with its AI chatbots.

The bipartisan letter said Meta’s policies and practices for the chatbots pose “astonishing risks for children, lack transparency and allow for the proliferation of misinformation.”

According to the letter, the senators said it is “crucial” that Zuckerberg’s company doesn’t “risk cognitive, emotional or physical well being of children.” The letter stated this is important because of the prevalence of teenagers using AI chatbots.

A study from Common Sense Media cited in the letter shows that 72% of teenagers have used an AI chatbot.

Last week, Reuters reported Meta’s leadership team grew frustrated with its AI team regarding the rollout of the chatbots. Reuters said the leadership team thought the AI product managers were “moving too cautiously.” Meta’s leadership team called the safety features on the products “boring.”

The senators said they were “troubled” by the revelations in the Reuters story.

They noted that Meta’s financial incentives are to make people use AI chatbots as much as possible. But the senators said that does not minimize Meta’s moral, ethical and legal obligations when deploying new technologies, “especially for use by children.”

The letter listed things Meta AI chatbots were allowed to engage in, which included making “‘romantic or sensual advances towards children,” making statements that criticize people’s personal characteristics and generating pictures of “elderly people being kicked.”

According to the senators, these were “alarming standards.”

In addition to this, the senators had a concern about the targeted advertising that was happening toward children using Meta’s chatbots.

They noted children “likely don’t understand” the type of information they are sharing with AI chatbots, which puts their “privacy at risk” and makes them “vulnerable to manipulative marketing tactics.”

Due to the large number of users Meta has on its platforms, the senators said it “must be more transparent about its policies and the impacts of its chatbots.”

The senators told Zuckerberg that Meta’s policies surrounding kids’ interactions with AI chatbots are also “concerning” due to a comment he made earlier this year, stating he thinks AI can act as a substitute for human friendships in the future.

Meta AI chatbot relationships “already had disastrous consequences,” the senators said. They also noted the chatbots pose “serious risks for children’s interpersonal skills.”

“While AIs have many uses, the wellbeing of children should not be sacrificed in the race for AI development,” they said.

To end the letter, the senators asked Meta to answer 11 questions that dealt with policies surrounding children using its AI chatbots.

They requested Meta answer these questions by Sept. 1.

Events

No events

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Will-County-Board-Meeting-June-18-2025

Will County Board Halts Transportation Plan After Contentious 143rd Street Debate

The Will County Board voted Wednesday to send its five-year, multi-million dollar transportation improvement plan back to committee, effectively pausing all projects after a lengthy and heated debate over the...
Will-County-Board-Meeting-June-18-2025

Will County Board Upholds Zoning Denials, Rejecting Developer Appeals

The Will County Board on Wednesday backed its Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC), denying two separate appeals from property owners who sought to overturn the commission’s recommendations against their projects....
Will-County-Board-Meeting-June-18-2025

Split Vote Halts Monee Truck Terminal Project

A proposed truck terminal on vacant land at West Monee-Manhattan Road in Monee Township was stopped in its tracks Wednesday after the Will County Board delivered a split decision on...
Will-County-Board-Meeting-June-18-2025

Future Quarry Fight Looms as Board Approves ‘Tequila Barrel’ Retreat

While the Will County Board greenlit a unique tourist destination featuring overnight stays in repurposed tequila barrels, it also received formal notice of a coming fight to shut down a...
Meeting-Briefs

News Briefs from the Will County Board June 18 Meeting

Monee Church Designated Historic LandmarkThe Will County Board unanimously voted to designate St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Monee as a historical landmark. Member Judy Ogalla, a Monee native,...
Frankfort-Village-Board-Meeting-Graphic-June-16-2025

Frankfort Approves Outdoor Patios for The Loft and Grounded Coffee Bar, Waives All Parking Requirements

Downtown Frankfort is set to expand its outdoor dining options after the Village Board on Monday approved plans for new patios at two adjacent businesses, The Loft and Grounded Coffee...
Frankfort-Village-Board-Meeting-Graphic-June-16-2025

Frankfort Police Department to Get Four New Vehicles in Fleet Upgrade

FRANKFORT, Ill. – The Frankfort Police Department will be updating its aging fleet after the Village Board approved the purchase of four new vehicles for a total cost not to...
Frankfort-Village-Board-Meeting-Graphic-June-16-2025

Indoor Pickleball Facility ‘Pickled!’ Gets Green Light in Frankfort

A new indoor pickleball facility named "Pickled!" is set to open in Frankfort after the Village Board granted a special use permit for the business at its Monday meeting. The...
Frankfort-Village-Board-Meeting-Graphic-June-16-2025

Frankfort to Install Public Wi-Fi at Breidert Green

Visitors to Breidert Green in downtown Frankfort will soon have access to free public wireless internet. The Village Board on Monday approved the purchase and installation of Wi-Fi equipment to...
Frankfort-Village-Board-Meeting-Graphic-June-16-2025

Frankfort Board Approves Indoor Recreation Facility and Setback Variance

The Frankfort Village Board gave its approval to two separate development projects Monday night, clearing the way for a new indoor pickleball facility and a residential addition. Trustees unanimously granted...
Frankfort-Village-Board-Meeting-Graphic-June-16-2025

Meeting Briefs: Frankfort Village Board for June 16, 2025

Downtown Patios Approved, Parking Waived: The Village Board approved outdoor seating for The Loft and Grounded Coffee Bar on Ash Street. To support the downtown businesses, trustees also voted to waive...
Will-County-Executive-Committee-Meeting-June-12-2025

Mental Health Board Awards $5 Million in Grants to Will County Organizations

The Will County Community Mental Health Board has distributed over $5 million in grants to 39 local organizations, marking the completion of its inaugural funding cycle since voters approved the...
frankfort-square-park-district.2

Frankfort Square Park District Adopts Budget and Appropriation Ordinance, Updates Financial Policy

The Frankfort Square Park District Board of Commissioners formally adopted its Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the 2025-2026 fiscal year on Thursday, finalizing the district's legal spending authority for the...
Will-County-Executive-Committee-Meeting-June-12-2025

County Board Approves Major Code Updates, Discusses Employee Benefits

The Will County Board Executive Committee approved several ordinance updates Wednesday while engaging in detailed discussions about employee compensation and benefits. The committee passed ordinances updating three chapters of the...
frankfort-square-park-district.1

Major Park District Projects Advance as Hunter Prairie Park Gets Green Light

Work on the Frankfort Square Park District's three major capital projects is hitting key milestones, with the long-awaited redevelopment of Hunter Prairie Park now officially underway. Executive Director Audrey Marcquenski...