FTC Launches Investigation into Potential Harms of AI Chatbots | Social Media Today

AI chatbots are set to come under regulatory scrutiny, and could face new restrictions, as a result of a new probe. Following reports of concerning interactions between young users and AI-powered chatbots in social apps, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has ordered Meta, OpenAI, Snapchat, X, Google and Character AI to provide more information on how their AI chatbots function, in order to establish whether adequate safety measures have been put in place to protect young users from potential harm. As per the FTC: “ The FTC inquiry seeks to understand what steps, if any, companies have taken to evaluate the safety of their chatbots when acting as companions, to limit the products’ use by and potential negative effects on children and teens, and to apprise users and parents of the risks associated with the products. ” As noted, those concerns stem from reports of potentially concerning interactions between AI chatbots and teens, across various platforms. For example, Meta has been accused of allowing its AI chatbots to engage in inappropriate conversations with minors, with Meta even encouraging such, as it seeks to maximize its AI tools. Snapchat’s “My AI” chatbot has also come under scrutiny over how it engages
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