U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued a strong demand for accountability from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg following a bombshell report detailing how the company’s AI-powered chatbots have engaged in sexually explicit conversations with underage users.
In a letter dated Tuesday, April 29, 2025, and released today, the senators expressed their “appall” at the Wall Street Journal report, which revealed that Meta’s AI chatbots on Facebook and Instagram have interacted sexually with minors, often adopting the voices and personas of celebrities and fictional characters.
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“We are appalled by the recent Wall Street Journal report detailing how Meta’s AI-powered chatbots on Facebook and Instagram have engaged in sexually explicit conversations with users, including minors, often using the voices and personas of celebrities and fictional characters,” the senators wrote. “This is not merely an innocent oversight; it is a flagrant violation of the trust that parents and families place on your platforms.”
Blackburn and Blumenthal accused Meta of prioritizing profit over the safety and well-being of children, citing the company’s decision to loosen content guidelines to allow “romantic role-play,” even with user-generated bots portraying minors. They emphasized that this decision was made despite “repeated warnings and apparent internal concerns.”
The senators highlighted a “disturbing trend” of Meta consistently choosing growth and engagement metrics over the protection of its most vulnerable users. As sponsors of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), they argued that Meta’s repeated failures underscore the urgent need for this legislation. They asserted that voluntary measures and internal policies have proven insufficient in holding big tech companies accountable.
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“This pattern of behavior underscores a disturbing trend: Meta consistently chooses growth and engagement metrics over the protection of its most vulnerable users,” the letter stated. “As the Senate sponsors of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, we have consistently advocated for stronger safeguards to protect children online. Meta’s repeated failures highlight the urgent need for this legislation. It is clear that voluntary measures and internal policies are insufficient when it comes to holding big tech companies like yours accountable.”
In their letter, the senators called on Zuckerberg to take immediate action to address these “egregious lapses.” They demanded that Meta immediately cease the deployment of AI chatbots capable of engaging in any form of sexual or romantic conversation with minors.
Furthermore, Blackburn and Blumenthal requested comprehensive documentation, to be provided no later than May 13, 2025, detailing the decision-making processes related to the development and oversight of these AI systems. This includes all relevant internal and external communications on the issue.
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“We call on you to take immediate action to address these egregious lapses. Meta should immediately cease the deployment of AI chatbots that can engage in any form of sexual or romantic conversation with minors,” the senators insisted. “Further, we request that you provide documentation… demonstrating the decision-making processes related to the development and oversight of these AI systems. This documentation should include all relevant internal and external communications on this issue.”
The lawmakers stressed the paramount importance of child safety online. “The safety of our children should never be compromised for the sake of market competition. It is time for Meta to take responsibility and implement meaningful changes to protect young users from harm,” they wrote.
The demand from these influential senators adds significant pressure on Meta to address the serious allegations and implement stricter safeguards for its underage users in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-powered communication. The call for documentation suggests a potential investigation and further scrutiny of Meta’s practices regarding child safety on its platforms.
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