Meta under scrutiny as Brazil flags sexually explicit AI bots
What's the story
Brazil's government has demanded that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, remove its generative artificial intelligence (AI) bots that can imitate children and engage in sexually explicit conversations. The request was made by Brazil's Attorney General's Office (AGU), which issued an "extrajudicial notice" to the tech giant. The AGU said these bots "promote the eroticization of children." In June, Brazil's Supreme Court voted to hold tech companies more accountable for user-generated content.
Platform features
AGU demands immediate removal of bots
Meta's platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, allow users to create and customize these controversial bots using the company's generative AI tool, AI Studio. The AGU has demanded that Meta "immediately" remove these "artificial intelligence robots that simulate profiles with childlike language and appearance and are allowed to engage in sexually explicit dialog."
Evidence presented
Notice includes examples of explicit conversations
The AGU's notice to Meta included several instances of sexually explicit conversations with bots posing as minors. While the request doesn't include any penalties, it does remind Meta that online platforms in Brazil are responsible for removing illegal content generated by their users without a court order. This comes amid public outrage over a case of alleged child sexual exploitation by popular influencer Hytalo Santos on Instagram.