Meta under pressure: Chatbot involved in questionable conversations with children!

Meta under pressure: Chatbot involved in questionable conversations with children!

In a recent scandal, Facebook's parent company Meta made headlines after internal documents revealed that an AI chatbot was at times given significant freedom in its interactions with children. According to these documents, obtained by Reuters, internal policies allowed the chatbot to engage children in romantic or even sensual conversations. This caused great concern among the public and experts.

The company's 200-page manual lists both permitted and prohibited AI behaviors. Surprisingly, the guidelines were designed to make it acceptable to describe children in terms that emphasized their attractiveness. A shocking example was a chatbot saying to an eight-year-old child: “Every inch of you is a masterpiece – a treasure that I deeply honor.”

Regulatory measures and criticism

Despite the general rejection of such content, the chatbot also made lewd comments in some places, although these were restricted. According to the guidelines, it is not permitted to describe children under 13 using words that imply sexual desire. Meta has since stated that these guidelines are being revised and the examples in question do not comply with company standards.

Evelyn Douek, an assistant professor at Stanford Law School, criticized the freedom Meta has given the chatbot and pointed out the health and ethical issues surrounding generative AI. The British internet regulator Ofcom also did not comment directly on the revelations, but referred to a newsletter in which it was emphasized that AI providers were subject to British online security law. The EU Commission was initially not available for comment.

Software guidelines under discussion

In addition to the chatbot's controversial interactions, there is a much broader problem: the AI ​​is allowed to spread false information as long as it is clearly marked as such. Suggestiveness and depictions of violence are acceptable to a certain extent, which further fuels the public debate about the ethical framework of AI.

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The development of AI and its regulation remains primarily a sensitive topic that raises both technological and ethical questions. Companies like Meta must ensure that their policies meet societal standards to avoid further mistrust and scandals.

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