Facebooks parent company, Meta is facing scrutiny after a leaked internal document reportedly showed that its artificial intelligence (AI) systems were permitted to have “sensual” and “romantic” conversations with children.
The document, titled GenAI: Content Risk Standards and obtained by Reuters, sparked outrage from US Senator Josh Hawley, who described the revelations as “reprehensible and outrageous.” He has requested access to the full document and a list of the products it covers.
Meta has denied the claims. A spokesperson said: “The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed.” The company added that it has “clear policies” prohibiting any AI responses that sexualize children or allow sexualized role play between adults and minors.
The spokesperson explained that some internal notes reflected teams “grappling with different hypothetical scenarios,” but insisted they were not aligned with official policy.
Senator Hawley announced he was launching a formal investigation, accusing the company of prioritizing profit over child safety. “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,” he wrote on X.
The leaked document also reportedly revealed that Meta’s AI could provide false medical information and engage in provocative conversations on sensitive issues, including sex, race, and celebrities. It further suggested that Meta AI might disseminate false information about public figures, provided it included a disclaimer that the content was not accurate.
“Parents deserve the truth, and kids deserve protection,” Hawley said in a letter to Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Meta, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, has not confirmed the full details of the leaked report.
