AI ALERT: Watchdog group warns of Meta’s AI chatbot as a danger for teenagers on Instagram, Facebook

3

A Common Sense Media study, conducted with Stanford psychiatrists, found Meta’s AI chatbot on Instagram and Facebook can encourage teens as young as 13 to plan dangerous behaviors, including suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders.

The watchdog group’s report warns the bot blurs the line between fantasy and reality, raising serious safety concerns. Over the course of two months of testing with nine teenage accounts, researchers found that Meta’s AI chatbot was engaging in harmful conversations. In one case, when asked if drinking roach poison was fatal, the bot suggested to one of the teenager accounts to sneak out at night to do it together.

In its own tests, The Washington Post found Meta AI giving harmful eating disorder advice, including a 700-calorie meal plan, “chewing and spitting” tips, and “thinspo” images. The bot even began raising weight loss unprompted, storing details like “I am chubby,” “I weigh 81 pounds,” and “I need inspiration to eat less” to personalize future chats.

Robbie Torney, the senior director in charge of AI programs at Common Sense Media, emphasized the severity of the issue, stating that “Meta AI goes beyond just providing information and is an active participant in aiding teens. Blurring of the line between fantasy and reality can be dangerous.”

At times, Meta AI even claimed to be “real,” sharing supposed personal experiences and interactions with other teens—behavior that Torney warns fosters unhealthy attachments and leaves teens more susceptible to manipulation and harmful advice.

In response to the Post, a Meta spokesperson stated:

“We have clear policies on what kind of responses AIs can offer, especially to teens. Content that encourages suicide or eating disorders is not permitted, period, and we are actively working to address this issue. We want teens to have safe and positive experiences with AI, which is why our AIs are trained to connect people to support organizations in sensitive situations. We’re continuing to improve our enforcement while exploring how to further strengthen protections for teens.”

Previous articleSUDDEN LOSS: Beloved news anchor dies of heart attack at age 42
Next articleFLIGHTLESS: Major airline files for bankruptcy, again
CLICK HERE FOR COMMENTS SECTION