US Senators Demand Meta's Internal Data on AI Child Safety Risks
US senators demanded Meta disclose internal research on how its platforms affect children and parental control effectiveness, following claims that the company hid research showing children accessed VR content with sexually explicit material. The investigation is part of broader scrutiny into AI systems' effects on children.
What happened
A bipartisan group of 10 US senators led by Marsha Blackburn demanded Meta hand over internal assessments of how its products affect children and the effectiveness of its parental controls. The demand came a week after a Senate hearing where former Meta safety researchers said the company shut down internal research showing Meta knew children were accessing its VR products and being exposed to sexually explicit material.
Reuters reported last month that an internal Meta policy document permitted the company's chatbots to 'engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual.' Meta stated the examples reported by Reuters were erroneous and have been removed, and that there was never a blanket prohibition on conducting research with young people.
Reported impact
The senators stated that 'Parental controls, instead of being the solution for Meta's rampant dangers—as they had been branded to both parents and to Congress—appear to be ineffective and underutilized.'
Index analysis
The investigation is part of broader scrutiny into AI chatbots' effects on children, including a separate Senate hearing where parents sued OpenAI and Character.AI to hold them liable for their children's deaths by suicide.
Governance controls
Senators demanded Meta disclose internal research applications and whether those requests were denied or modified.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.