📍 Washington, D.C., 5 September 2025 — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is preparing to investigate the potential risks posed by AI chatbots to children’s mental health and privacy. The inquiry will involve formal requests for internal records from major technology firms, including OpenAI, Meta Platforms, and Character.AI.
The investigation aims to assess whether AI-powered tools expose minors to harmful interactions or compromise personal data. Regulators will examine how companies store and safeguard user information, and whether existing protections are sufficient to prevent psychological harm or exploitative behavior.
This move follows mounting pressure from advocacy groups and families, some of whom have filed lawsuits alleging that children developed unhealthy emotional dependencies on chatbots, with claims linking these interactions to incidents of self-harm.
The White House has endorsed the FTC’s review, emphasizing the need to balance technological advancement with child safety. First Lady Melania Trump recently convened a summit with tech leaders to discuss responsible AI development for youth audiences.
The FTC’s requests mark the first step in what could become a broader regulatory effort to address the growing role of AI in children’s digital lives.
