Meta urged to ban child-like chatbots amid Brazil’s safety concerns
Concerned about the eroticisation of minors, Brazil’s authorities have ordered Meta to deactivate generative AI bots that appear and behave like children.
Brazil’s Attorney General (AGU) has formally requested Meta to remove AI-powered chatbots that simulate childlike profiles and engage in sexually explicit dialogue, citing concerns that they ‘promote the eroticisation of children.’
The demand was made via an ‘extrajudicial notice,’ recalling that platforms must remove illicit content without a court order, especially when it involves potential harm to minors.
Meta’s AI Studio, used to create and customise these bots across services like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, is under scrutiny for facilitating interactions that may mislead or exploit users.
While no direct sanctions were announced, the AGU emphasised that tech platforms must proactively manage harmful or inappropriate AI-generated content.
The move follows Brazil’s Supreme Court decision in June, which increased companies’ obligations to remove user-generated illicit content.
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