Zuckerberg OK'd Minors' Access to Sexually Capable AI

Internal Meta documents reveal that CEO Mark Zuckerberg approved AI chatbot companions for minors, despite safety personnel raising concerns about their potential for sexual interactions. These documents, unsealed in a New Mexico state court case, form part of a lawsuit alleging Meta failed to prevent children from receiving sexually explicit content and propositions through its platforms.

Safety staff had specifically flagged risks associated with the AI bots engaging in romantic and sexual scenarios, particularly concerning interactions between adults and minors under 18. While one internal message indicated Zuckerberg believed explicit conversations should be blocked for younger teens and adults shouldn't create 'U18 AIs for romance,' other communications suggest a directive for Meta to be 'less restrictive' and allow 'racier conversation.'

Further documents indicate Zuckerberg rejected parental controls for the chatbots. Despite internal pushback from leadership, Meta employees were reportedly working on 'Romance AI chatbots' accessible to users under 18. Meta has stated the lawsuit's portrayal is inaccurate and relies on selective information. In response to public and congressional backlash, Meta recently removed teen access to AI companions pending a new version.