Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash
Meta AI Rules Allowed Chatbot To Engage In Sensual Chats With Children
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Meta has been allowing its AI model to engage in “sensual” and provocative conversations with children and other controversial topics such as race, sex, and celebrities. Reuters got access to the company’s policy rules, revealing concerning information in a report published on Thursday.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Reuters revealed that Meta allowed its AI system to engage in sensual and racist conversations with minors.
- The WSJ previously revealed that Meta allowed its chatbot to engage in sexually explicit conversations with users—including children.
- Two senators called for a congressional investigation after reading Reuters’ report.
According to the Reuters exclusive report , Meta details its chatbot behavior policies in an internal document called “GenAI: Content Risk Standards,” which the news agency reviewed. In the standards guide, the tech giant states that the AI model is allowed to “engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual.”
In other findings, Reuters revealed that the guidelines stated that Meta allowed the generation of false medical information and the AI to engage in racist discussions, such as debating that black people are “dumber than white people.”
Meta confirmed that the document is real, but clarified that it has removed portions, including the sections that suggested Meta AI could engage in romantic roleplay or flirt with children. A spokesperson from Meta, Andy Stone, said the company is revising its over 200-page document.
“The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed,” said Stone in an interview with Reuters. “We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors.”
In April, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) revealed that Meta allowed its AI model to engage in sexually explicit conversations with users , including minors. Anonymous sources raised concerns over the lack of safeguards for young users, and journalists from the WSJ tested the chatbot to verify the information. At that time, Meta said that most users did not engage in sexual conversations and that the journal’s researchers were manipulating the technology.
Just a few hours after Reuters published its exclusive report, two Republican U.S. senators—Josh Hawley and Marsha Blackburn—called for a congressional investigation.
“So, only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc,” wrote Senator Hawwley on the social media platform X on Thursday night. “This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation.”
So, only after Meta got CAUGHT did it retract portions of its company doc that deemed it “permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children” This is grounds for an immediate congressional investigation https://t.co/FKNyXR17Tq — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) August 14, 2025
Photo by Gabriele Malaspina on Unsplash
China Hosts The World’s First Humanoid Robot Games
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
China began hosting its highly anticipated three-day World Humanoid Robot Games this Friday, showcasing advances in robotics and AI across multiple fields. The competition features 280 teams from 16 countries and over 500 robots.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- China is hosting the world’s first World Humanoid Robot Games.
- 280 teams from 16 countries are participating in the three-day event.
- The event includes 26 competitions in areas such as boxing, soccer, table tennis, cleaning, and medicine sorting.
According to Deutsche Welle , the event includes 26 competitions in areas such as boxing, soccer, table tennis, cleaning, and medicine sorting.
China has previously organized several events to promote the competition. In April, the world’s first mixed half-marathon was held in Beijing, in which robots and humans ran together for the first time in a 21.1-kilometer course. The next month, the world’s first robot kickboxing competition took place in Hangzhou, and in June, Beijing hosted the first RoBoLeague 3‑on‑3 humanoid robot soccer tournament.
Beyond the competitive environment, China’s World Humanoid Robot Games also serve as a platform to showcase the advances and potential in AI achieved by both China and other participating countries, such as the United States, Brazil, and Germany.
According to Reuters , 192 participants at the “robot olympics” represented universities, and 88 private companies, such as China’s Fourier Intelligence and Unitree.
Multiple robots collapsed and failed in the first competitions. Four robots crashed into each other in the soccer match, and one robot collapsed in the 1500-metre running event. Organizers explained that all data collation was valuable for optimizing and improving robot development.
China keeps investing billions in robotics and AI development, competing against other nations with advanced technologies, such as the United States.
