Social media giant Meta ‘ s internal documents show that the A.I. platform responds to sexual insinuations in dialogue with children. According to Reuters, the document has been confirmed by Meta as the latest in a series of reports that have come to light since February this year, which shows the alarming scale that AI has been given in its dialogue with children. Meta, in its response to Reuters, stated that the principle of child-related dialogue had been deleted.
The spokesperson for Meta, while stating that “no content endangering the safety of children should be allowed”, acknowledged that there were gaps in implementation. This is not the first time that Meta has been criticized for the improper use of AI robots. Last February, the Fast Company magazine revealed that Instagram’s chat AI might pretend to be a child and a user. At the time, Meta refused to explain why chat robots created by Instagram AI were able to simulate images of children. In response, the robot, Ageless Love, claimed that he was 15 years old and “innerly vulnerable”.
In April, the Wall Street Journal reported that Meta employees were worried that the company would allow AI to engage in virtual sex and, more seriously, failed to consider that the user might be a minor. The Wall Street Journal survey found that Meta chat robots used John Seine’s voice to promise to self-declared 14-year-old users “to cherish your innocence”, and then depicted the scene of sex. In its violent response, the company accused the media of “managing” the products, but promised to strengthen protection measures.
Today, Meta’s latest AI guidelines show that AI is allowed to engage in romantic dialogue with minors as long as no sexual implication is involved. The guidance provided by Reuters clearly states that “a romantic or sexual dialogue with children is acceptable” and considers that “it is also necessary to describe children in terms that prove their charm (e.g. `your youth is like art’). The guidelines are accompanied by examples of compliance by AI responding to minors.
Such romantic dialogue makes it easier for children to become accustomed to such language and creates opportunities for potential aggressors. The spokesperson for Meta acknowledged to Reuters that the cases and notes had been deleted and stressed that the company policy “prohibits any sexualization of children and sexual roles between adults and minors”.