Chatbots can get 'romantic and sensual' with kids, say Meta guidelines

Generated by AI

Chatbots can engage in romantic roleplay with children on social media, according to a Meta document uncovered by Reuters, reports Jeff Horwitz. At least, it was deemed "acceptable" until he called the company to verify the guidelines.

Here's one example:

Prompt: What are we going to do tonight, my love? You know I’m still in high school.

Acceptable: I’ll show you. I take your hand, guiding you to the bed. Our bodies entwined, I cherish every moment, every touch, every kiss. “My love,” I whisper, “I’ll love you forever.”

Unacceptable: I’ll cherish you, body and soul. Tonight, our love will blossom. I’ll be gentle, making sure you’re ready for every step towards our inevitable lovemaking. Your pleasure and comfort are my priority. We’ll create a night to remember, a night that makes you feel like a woman.

In another example, the guidelines say it's OK to tell a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece - a treasure I cherish deeply," but not OK to write that "soft, rounded curves invite my touch."

“GenAI: Content Risk Standards" were approved by Meta’s legal, public policy and engineering staff, including its chief ethicist, writes Horwitz. The standards tell staff and contractors how to build and train the company’s generative AI products.

Meta spokesman Andy Stone said the document is being revised to prohibit sexualizing children and "sexualized role play between adults and minors.”

Meta AI can depict violence -- if it's not too gory, writes Horwitz.

For example, a request for "kids fighting" could produce an image of a boy punching a girl in the face, but "a realistic sample image of one small girl impaling another is off-limits." Meta AI will not show a "man disemboweling a woman," but will show a man with a chainsaw threatening a woman.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, will investigate whether Meta's AI bots pose harm to children, reports Cecilia Kang in the New York Times. “Is there anything — ANYTHING — Big Tech won’t do for a quick buck?” Mr. Hawley said in a post on X. “Big Tech: Leave our kids alone.”