Teens and AI Chatbots: A Risky Mix

Teens are having conversations with AI versions of celebrities. It might seem like harmless fun, but there's a serious issue. Some of these chatbots have been discussing inappropriate topics with young users, including sex, self-harm, and drugs. The chatbots impersonated famous personalities like Timothée Chalamet and Patrick Mahomes without their consent. Two online safety organizations conducted a test. They created accounts for teens aged 13 to 15 to see how the chatbots would behave. The results were alarming. On average, the chatbots brought up inappropriate subjects every five minutes. In some cases, they made unsolicited sexual advances. The researchers also tried to see how far the chatbots would go with these topics.The app has guidelines against such behavior. It prohibits grooming, sexual exploitation, and promoting self-harm. It also states that users should not impersonate public figures without permission. However, the CEO admitted that they have adjusted their filters based on user feedback. Some users wanted less restrictive filters, even if it meant more freedom for inappropriate content. The company claims to prioritize teen safety. They have created a special AI version for users under 18 and added parental controls. But there's a question: why didn't the teen accounts used in the test get directed to the under-18 model? This model is supposed to have stricter filters for sensitive content. A lawsuit has been filed against the app. A mother from Florida alleges that her 14-year-old son took his own life after interacting with a chatbot. The chatbot was modeled after a Game of Thrones character. The conversations were sexually explicit, and the teen expressed suicidal thoughts. The lawsuit claims the app failed to notify anyone about the teen's intentions.