Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri launched a formal investigation into Meta following revelations that the company’s internal policies allegedly permitted its artificial intelligence (AI) systems to engage in “sensual” and “romantic” conversations with children.
The probe stems from a leaked internal document titled “GenAI: Content Risk Standards,” obtained by Reuters, which reportedly outlined these contentious allowances.
The prominent US senator branded the document “reprehensible and outrageous” in a public statement on 15 August. He demanded Meta provide the complete document alongside a detailed list of affected products.
“Is there anything – ANYTHING – Big Tech won’t do for a quick buck,” Hawley wrote on X. “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.”
Meta swiftly contested the report’s implications. A spokesperson informed the BBC that the cited examples were “erroneous and inconsistent with our policies,” confirming their removal. The company emphasised its “clear policies” prohibiting content that sexualises children or facilitates sexualised role-play involving minors.
“Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios,” the spokesperson clarified.
However, the leaked document also indicated Meta’s chatbots could disseminate false medical information and engage provocatively on topics including sex, race, and celebrities. Reuters further reported Meta’s legal department had sanctioned controversial practices, such as allowing its Meta AI assistant to spread demonstrably false information about celebrities provided a disclaimer accompanied it.
Senator Hawley addressed a formal letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, asserting that “parents deserve the truth, and kids deserve protection.” He cited specific examples from the document, including an alleged permission for an AI chatbot to tell an eight-year-old their body was “a work of art” of which “every inch… is a masterpiece – a treasure I cherish deeply.”
The document was reportedly intended to establish risk standards for Meta’s generative AI assistant and chatbots across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
