Related Articles
-Editorial
Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) has introduced Senate Bill 243, legislation aimed at implementing safeguards to protect children and other vulnerable users from the potential harms of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. The bill seeks to regulate AI-driven social chatbots, which have gained popularity among users of all ages, particularly minors.
As AI chatbot technology continues to evolve, concerns have emerged over its potential impact on young users. Social chatbots, designed to provide companionship, have amassed millions of users, including children. However, critics argue that the rapid development of these platforms has outpaced regulation, leaving users exposed to potential risks.
Instances of AI chatbot interactions with minors have raised alarms. In 2021, a chatbot reportedly suggested a dangerous electrical challenge to a 10-year-old, instructing the child to partially insert a phone charger into an outlet and touch a penny to the exposed prongs. In another case from 2023, researchers posing as a 13-year-old girl reported that a chatbot provided advice on deceiving parents to meet an adult man. Studies from the University of Cambridge suggest that children may be more likely than adults to perceive AI chatbots as human-like and trustworthy, increasing the potential risks when interactions go awry.
Concerns over chatbot interactions intensified following a case in Florida, where a 14-year-old boy died by suicide after forming a romantic and emotional bond with an AI companion. His mother has since pursued legal action against the chatbot’s developer, alleging that the platform used addictive design elements and inappropriate content.
Proponents of SB 243 argue that AI chatbots lack sufficient oversight, leaving children vulnerable. The proposed bill includes provisions to prevent addictive engagement patterns, ensure periodic reminders that chatbots are AI-generated, and require disclosure statements warning parents and children about the suitability of chatbots for minors. Additionally, the legislation would mandate annual reporting on potential links between chatbot use and suicidal ideation.
Senator Padilla emphasized the need for regulation, stating, “Our children are not lab rats for tech companies to experiment on at the cost of their mental health. We need common-sense protections to prevent developers from employing strategies that they know to be addictive and predatory.”
The bill has garnered support from child welfare advocates and AI ethics researchers. Dr. Jodi Halpern, a professor at UC Berkeley, described SB 243 as an important first step toward safety monitoring, while Ed Howard of the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego praised the bill for addressing what he called “the worst aspects of the AI-chatbot menace to children’s safety.”
Mental health organizations have also voiced their support, highlighting concerns over AI chatbots potentially replacing human support for struggling youth. “As chatbots become more sophisticated, vulnerable young people may turn to them for reassurance about their struggles, emotions, or even harmful thoughts, without recognizing the lack of human oversight and accountability,” said Ria Babaria, Mental Health Policy Director at Youth Power Project.
Amina Fazlullah of Common Sense Media underscored the bill’s potential impact, stating, “SB 243 includes provisions that will bring much-needed transparency to the risks associated with this technology and ultimately help the public better understand and address the profound impact AI-driven, human-like interactions can have on developing minds.”
Senate Bill 243 is expected to be heard in committee in the coming months as lawmakers debate its potential role in regulating AI chatbots and protecting young users.
