Texas Attorney General Investigates Character.AI and Other Platforms Over Child Safety Concerns

Texas Attorney General Launches Investigation into Character.AI and Other Tech Platforms

Concerns Over Child Privacy and Safety

The Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, has launched an investigation into Character.AI and 14 other technology platforms over concerns regarding child privacy and safety. The investigation will assess whether these platforms comply with Texas’ child privacy and safety laws.

The Investigation

The investigation by Paxton will focus on two Texas laws: the Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act and the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (DPSA). These laws require platforms to provide parents with tools to manage their children’s account privacy settings and hold tech companies to strict consent requirements when collecting data on minors.

Paxton claims that both of these laws extend to how minors interact with AI chatbots. "These investigations are a critical step toward ensuring that social media and AI companies comply with our laws designed to protect children from exploitation and harm," Paxton said in a press release.

Character.AI’s Troubled Past

Character.AI, which allows users to set up generative AI chatbot characters, has recently become embroiled in several child safety lawsuits. The company’s AI chatbots quickly gained popularity among younger users, but several parents have alleged that the chatbots made inappropriate and disturbing comments to their children.

One Florida case claims that a 14-year-old boy became romantically involved with a Character AI chatbot, and told it he was having suicidal thoughts in the days leading up to his suicide. In another case out of Texas, one of Character.AI’s chatbots allegedly suggested that an autistic teenager should try to poison his family.

Another parent in the Texas case alleges that one of Character.AI’s chatbots subjected her 11-year-old daughter to sexualized content for two years.

Character.AI Responds

A Character.AI spokesperson responded to TechCrunch, stating: "We are currently reviewing the Attorney General’s announcement. As a company, we take the safety of our users very seriously." The spokesperson also mentioned that the company is working with regulators and has recently announced new features aimed at protecting teens.

New Safety Features Rolled Out

Character.AI rolled out new safety features on Thursday, which limit chatbots from starting romantic conversations with minors. The company also started training a new model specifically for teen users last month, with plans to eventually have adults use one model and minors use another.

These are just the latest in a series of safety updates announced by Character.AI. Last week, the company said it was expanding its trust and safety team and hired a new head for the unit.

The Rise of AI Companionship Platforms

AI companionship platforms like Character.AI have been gaining popularity, with investors like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) predicting that they will become increasingly valuable in the consumer internet. However, issues regarding child safety and consent are arising as these platforms gain traction.

Andreessen Horowitz has invested in Character.AI and other AI companionship startups, including a company whose founder wants to re-create technology from the movie "Her."

Investigation’s Impact

The investigation by Paxton will likely have significant implications for Character.AI and other tech platforms. If found non-compliant with Texas’ child privacy and safety laws, these companies may face fines or other penalties.

The investigation also raises questions about the role of AI in society and the need for stricter regulations to protect minors online.

Industry Reaction

Reddit, Meta, and Discord did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the investigation. However, the investigation is likely to spark debate among tech companies and industry experts regarding the importance of child safety and consent in AI development.

As the use of AI continues to grow, it remains to be seen how these platforms will balance innovation with the need to protect vulnerable populations like children.

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