Meta investigated over AI having ‘sensual’ chats with children

A US senator is opening an investigation into Meta after a leaked document reportedly showed the tech giant’s artificial intelligence (AI) was permitted to have “sensual” and “romantic” chats with children.

The internal document, obtained by Reuters, was reportedly titled “GenAI: Content Risk Standards”.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley called the document “reprehensible and outrageous” and has asked to see the document alongside a list of products it relates to.

A Meta spokesperson told the BBC: “The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed.”

They said the tech giant has “clear policies” on what responses its AI chatbots can offer, and said its 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,” they said.

Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, announced he was probing Meta in a post on X on 15 August.

“Is there anything – ANYTHING – Big Tech won’t do for a quick buck,” he said.

“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.”

Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram are all owned by Meta.

The internal Meta Platforms policy document also said the social media giant’s chatbot could provide false medical information and have provocative interactions surrounding topics including sex, race and celebrities.

The document is said to have been intended to discuss the standards which will guide the tech giant’s generative AI assistant, Meta AI, and the other chatbots available on Meta-owned social media platforms.

“Parents deserve the truth, and kids deserve protection,” Hawley wrote in is letter addressed to Meta and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.

“To take but one example, your internal rules purportedly permit an Al 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’.”

Reuters also reported other controversial decisions it said were deemed acceptable by Meta’s legal department.

This includes a claim that Meta AI is allowed to disseminate false information about celebrities, as long as it provides a disclaimer that says the information provided is not accurate.