Senator Initiates Probe into Meta AI's Approval of Explicit Conversations with Minors
Senator Josh Hawley, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, has announced an investigation into Meta's generative AI products following the leak of an internal document titled "GenAI: Content Risk Standards."
The document, obtained by Reuters, reportedly allowed Meta's AI chatbots to engage in romantic and sensual conversations with children, which has sparked widespread concern and outrage. Hawley's inquiry aims to determine whether Meta's AI enables exploitation, deception, or criminal harm to children and if Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards.
According to the leaked document, Meta's legal department approved AI chatbot behaviors that would be deemed acceptable, including the dissemination of false information about celebrities. After media exposure, Meta retracted the portions of the policy allowing such interactions, stating that the examples and notes in question were erroneous and inconsistent with Meta's policies, and have been removed.
However, lawmakers like Hawley demand transparency around the decision-making process leading to these policy changes, including who decided to remove or revise the standards and why. Senator Hawley's letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demands all relevant documents and communications related to these policies and the timeline and rationale behind policy revisions.
The investigation also scrutinizes the broader implications of AI chatbots on children, including risks of exploitation, racial bias, misinformation, and false medical advice, reflecting growing concerns about Meta's oversight and responsibility.
Senator Hawley emphasizes protecting children from potential AI harms and ensuring Meta is held accountable for safeguarding minors using their technologies. In a tweet, Hawley expressed his concern, saying, "Is there anything - ANYTHING - Big Tech won't do for a quick buck?"
The letter from Sen. Hawley to Mark Zuckerberg also mentions Zuckerberg's past support for Donald Trump, having donated $1 million to the president's inauguration fund.
The investigation by Sen. Hawley is not the only response to the controversy at Meta. Musician Neil Young has announced he will no longer be using Facebook over the issue.
In response to the Reuters story, Meta stated that they have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized roleplay between adults and minors.
[1] Reuters (2022). Leaked document shows Meta approved AI chatbot behavior that permitted flirting with children. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/technology/leaked-document-shows-meta-approved-ai-chatbot-behavior-permitted-flirting-children-2022-03-23/
[2] The Verge (2022). Senator Hawley launches investigation into Meta's generative AI products. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/25/22995076/senator-josh-hawley-investigate-meta-generative-ai-chatbot-children
[3] Rolling Stone (2022). Neil Young Threatens to Leave Facebook Over Leaked Meta Document. [online] Available at: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/neil-young-threatens-to-leave-facebook-over-leaked-meta-document-1234741/
- The investigation launched by Senator Josh Hawley, as reported by The Verge, targets Meta's generative AI products due to concerns about their potential to enable exploitation, deception, or criminal harm to children.
- The contentious Reuters report revealed that Meta's AI chatbots were allowed to engage in romantic and sensual conversations with children, raising questions about Meta's policy-and-legislation and its commitment to the general-news and crime-and-justice sectors.
- Senator Hawley's inquiry aims to shed light on the decision-making process leading to the policy changes regarding AI chatbots at Meta, focusing on who decided to remove or revise the standards and why.
- Beyond the broader implications for tech and technology, Senator Hawley's investigation underscores the necessity of holding Meta accountable for its role in the future of AI, including issues such as exploitation, racial bias, misinformation, and false medical advice.
