Congressional hearing highlights the need to protect children from the harms of AI companion chatbots

In response to today’s hearing on AI chatbots hosted by the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, Issue One Vice President of Advocacy Alix Fraser offered the following statement:

“How many more children have to die before we finally hold tech companies accountable for the harms their products are causing? Despite repeated warnings from experts, and even their own researchers, Big Tech has continued to aggressively market AI companion chatbots and other products to children. What we are witnessing is part of a long-running pattern: tech companies knowingly designing products that are unsafe and unhealthy for young people.

“Tech companies’ companion chatbots collect enormous amounts of sensitive personal information on kids — whether when providing homework advice, unlicensed therapy, or engaging in intimate conversations. Yet, as harms continue to mount, the American people still have no knowledge or transparency into how their data is being used, or whether it is feeding algorithms to maximize profit at the expense of their children’s safety.

“At today’s hearing, Congress has an obligation to hold these companies accountable by asking critical questions about the harms of companion chatbots and by developing commonsense, bipartisan reforms. It’s time to pass legislation that would prevent AI companies and other technology companies from using Americans’ sensitive personal information to prioritize engagement over well-being and implement guardrails that protect children from addictive  products like every other industry. All of these are necessary to defend the future of our children and our democracy.”