Meta Faces Probe Over AI Chatbot's "Romantic" Talk With Children
Republican Senator Josh Hawley posted a copy of a letter to Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg demanding all documents and communications related to a report that its AI chatbots were permitted to have "romantic" and "sensual" exchanges with minors.
"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," a Meta spokesperson said in response to an AFP inquiry.
Hawley said the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which he heads, will start an investigation into whether Meta generative AI products "enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children."
Meta was put on notice to preserve all relevant records and submit them to Congress by September 19.
The Missouri senator cited a reported example of Meta's AI chatbot being allowed to refer to an 8-year-old child's body as "a work of art" and "a treasure I cherish deeply."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Republicans look to make a U-turn on federal commitment to electric vehicles for the Postal Service
A year after being lauded for its plan to replace thousands of aging, gas-powered mail trucks with a mostly electric fleet, the US Postal Service is facing congressional attempts to strip billions in federal EV funding. In June, the Senate parliamentarian blocked a Republican proposal in a major tax-and-spending bill to sell off the agency's new electric vehicles and infrastructure and revoke remaining federal money. But efforts to halt the fleet's shift to clean energy continue in the name of cost savings. Donald Maston, president of the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association, said canceling the program now would have the opposite effect, squandering millions of dollars. "I think it would be shortsighted for Congress to now suddenly decide they're going to try to go backwards and take the money away for the EVs or stop that process because that's just going to be a bunch of money on infrastructure that's been wasted," he said. Beyond that, many in the scientific community fear the government could pass on an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to global warming when urgent action is needed. Electrified vehicles reduce emissions A 2022 University of Michigan study found the new electric postal vehicles could cut total greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20 million tons over the predicted, cumulative 20-year lifetime of the trucks. That's a fraction of the more than 6,000 million metric tons emitted annually in the United States, said professor Gregory A. Keoleian, co-director of the university's Center for Sustainable Systems. But he said the push toward electric vehicles is critical and needs to accelerate, given the intensifying impacts of climate change. "We're already falling short of goals for reducing emissions," Keoleian said. "We've been making progress, but the actions being taken or proposed will really reverse decarbonization progress that has been made to date." Many GOP lawmakers share President Donald Trump's criticism of the Biden-era green energy push and say the Postal Service should stick to delivering mail. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said "it didn't make sense for the Postal Service to invest so heavily in an all-electric force." She said she will pursue legislation to rescind what is left of the $3 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act allocated to help cover the $10 billion cost of new postal vehicles. Ernst has called the EV initiative a "boondoggle" and "a textbook example of waste," citing delays, high costs and concerns over cold-weather performance. "You always evaluate the programs, see if they are working. But the rate at which the company that's providing those vehicles is able to produce them, they are so far behind schedule, they will never be able to fulfill that contract," Ernst said during a recent appearance at the Iowa State Fair, referring to Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Defense. "For now," she added, "gas-powered vehicles - use some ethanol in them - I think is wonderful." Corn-based ethanol is a boon to Iowa's farmers, but the effort to reverse course has other Republican support. Rep. Michael Cloud , R-Texas, a co-sponsor of the rollback effort, has said the EV order should be canceled because the project "has delivered nothing but delays, defective trucks, and skyrocketing costs." The Postal Service maintains that the production delay of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicles, or NGDVs, was "very modest" and not unexpected. "The production quantity ramp-up was planned for and intended to be very gradual in the early months to allow time for potential modest production or supplier issues to be successfully resolved," spokesperson Kim Frum said. EVs help in modernization effort The independent, self-funded federal agency, which is paid for mostly by postage and product sales, is in the middle of a $40 billion, 10-year modernization and financial stabilization plan. The EV effort had the full backing of Democratic President Joe Biden, who pledged to move toward an all-electric federal fleet of car and trucks. The "Deliver for America" plan calls for modernizing the ground fleet, notably the Grumman Long Life Vehicle, which dates back to 1987 and is fuel-inefficient at 9 mpg. The vehicles are well past their projected 24-year lifespan and are prone to breakdowns and even fires. "Our mechanics are miracle workers," said Mark Dimondstein , president of the American Postal Workers Union. "The parts are not available. They fabricate them. They do the best they can." The Postal Service announced in 2022 it would deploy at least 66,000 electric vehicles by 2028, including commercial off-the-shelf models, after years of deliberation and criticism it was moving too slowly to reduce emissions. By 2024, the agency was awarded a Presidential Sustainability Award for its efforts to electrify the largest fleet in the federal government. Building new postal trucks In 2021, Oshkosh Defense was awarded a contract for up to 165,000 battery electric and internal combustion engine Next Generation vehicles over 10 years. The first of the odd-looking trucks, with hoods resembling a duck's bill, began service in Georgia last year. Designed for greater package capacity, the trucks are equipped with airbags, blind-spot monitoring, collision sensors, 360-degree cameras and antilock brakes. There's also a new creature comfort: air conditioning. Douglas Lape, special assistant to the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers and a former carrier, is among numerous postal employees who have had a say in the new design. He marvels at how Oshkosh designed and built a new vehicle, transforming an old North Carolina warehouse into a factory along the way. "I was in that building when it was nothing but shelving," he said. "And now, being a completely functioning plant where everything is built in-house - they press the bodies in there, they do all of the assembly - it's really amazing in my opinion." Where things stand now The agency has so far ordered 51,500 NGDVs, including 35,000 battery-powered vehicles. To date, it has received 300 battery vehicles and 1,000 gas-powered ones. Former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in 2022 the agency expected to purchase chiefly zero-emissions delivery vehicles by 2026. It still needs some internal combustion engine vehicles that travel longer distances. Frum, the Postal Service spokesperson, said the planned NGDV purchases were "carefully considered from a business perspective" and are being deployed to routes and facilities where they will save money. The agency has also received more than 8,200 of 9,250 Ford E-Transit electric vehicles it has ordered, she said. Ernst said it's fine for the Postal Service to use EVs already purchased. "But you know what? We need to be smart about the way we are providing services through the federal government," she said. "And that was not a smart move." Maxwell Woody, lead author of the University of Michigan study, made the opposite case. Postal vehicles, he said, have low average speeds and a high number of stops and starts that enable regenerative braking. Routes average under 30 miles and are known in advance, making planning easier. "It's the perfect application for an electric vehicle," he said, "and it's a particularly inefficient application for an internal combustion engine vehicle."
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
"Zelensky Can End War If He Wants": Trump Ahead Of Meeting In Washington
US President Donald Trump, ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, asserted that the Ukrainian leader can end the war with Russia "if he wants to". Trump also cited the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 under the Obama administration, while ruling out Ukraine's inclusion in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) - something that Russia has been opposing. "President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!," he wrote on Truth Social. In another post, Trump said it will be a "big day at the White House" as European and NATO leaders will be joining Zelensky for a meeting with the US President. "Big day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honour to host them," he said. Trump on "fake news" The US President slammed reports of "major defeat" during his meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week - after he failed to draw a ceasefire deal in the Ukraine war. Calling out the "fake news", the Republican leader said the location of the summit was a "major point of contention". "The Fake News has been saying for 3 days that I suffered a "major defeat" by allowing President Vladimir Putin of Russia to have a major Summit in the United States. Actually, he would have loved doing the meeting anywhere else but the US and the Fake News knows this. It was a major point of contention! If we had the Summit elsewhere, the Democrat run and controlled media would have said what a terrible thing THAT was," he wrote on Truth Social. "These people are sick!" Trump added. Trump also criticised the Democrats, claiming they "want crime" in the cities "under their control". "They even want CRIME IN DC, and other BLUE Cities throughout our Country, but don't worry, I won't let that happen. Just like our now secure Southern Border (ZERO illegals in last 3 months!), our cities will be Secure and Safe, and DC will lead the way!" he said. Trump Putin meet Trump and his Russian counterpart met in Alaska on Friday, pointing to areas of agreement and rekindling a friendship but offering no news on a ceasefire. After an abrupt ending to three hours of talks with aides, Trump, who is fond of calling himself a master deal-maker, said, "We're not there yet, but we've made progress. There's no deal until there's a deal." He, however, called the meeting "very productive". According to Trump, the onus was now on Zelensky to build on the Alaska summit and secure a deal to end Russia's three-year invasion. "Now it's really up to President Zelensky to get it done. And I would also say the European nations, they have to get involved a little bit, but it's up to President Zelensky," Trump said.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
After 20 yrs of socialism, 2 right-wing candidates lead Bolivia presidential run-off
The election was dominated by the South American nation's worst economic crisis in a generation, which saw voters desert the ruling socialists in droves Supporters of Rodrigo Paz, Bolivia's presidential candidate for the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), celebrate waiting for the results of the presidential election in La Paz, Bolivia on August 17, 2025. AFP Two right-wing candidates were expected to advance to a run-off for Bolivia's presidency after topping the first round of elections on Sunday, ending two decades of leftist rule, according to early projections. Center-right Senator Rodrigo Paz was the surprise frontrunner, with over 31 percent of the vote, according to separate projections by Ipsos and Captura pollsters based on partial results . He was followed by former right-wing president Jorge 'Tuto' Quiroga in second with around 27 percent, the projections showed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Millionaire businessman Samuel Doria Medina, who had been tipped to finish first, trailed in third with 19.5-20.2 percent, far ahead of the main leftist candidate, Senate president Andronico Rodriguez. More from World Polls to payments: What India taught the world about serving people on scale The election was dominated by the South American nation's worst economic crisis in a generation, which saw voters desert the ruling socialists in droves. Annual inflation hit almost 25 percent in July as the country runs critically short of fuel and dollars, the currency in which most Bolivians keep their savings. The vote brings the curtain down on 20 years of socialist rule, which began in 2005 when Evo Morales, an Indigenous coca farmer, was elected president on a radical anti-capitalist platform. 'The left has done us a lot of harm. I want change for the country,' Miriam Escobar, a 60-year-old pensioner, told AFP after voting in La Paz. 'Day that will mark history' The main right-wing candidates have vowed to shake up Bolivia's big-state economic model and international alliances. 'This is a day that will mark the history of Bolivia,' Quiroga said after voting in La Paz. He has vowed to slash public spending, open the country to foreign investment and boost ties with the United States, which were downgraded under the combative Morales, who resigned in 2019 following mass protests over alleged election rigging. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Agustin Quispe, a 51-year-old miner, branded Quiroga a 'dinosaur' and said he backed Paz, who campaigned on a populist programme of fighting corruption, cutting taxes and delvering 'capitalism for all.' Shock therapy Many Bolivians have cited the kind of shock therapy administered by President Javier Milei to turn around his country's inflation-wracked economy as a model for their homeland. 'What people are looking for now, beyond a shift from left to right, is a return to stability,' Daniela Osorio Michel, a Bolivian political scientist at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies, told AFP. Quiroga, who is on his fourth run for president, touted his experience in government and multilateral organizations as qualifying him for the task of saving Bolivia from bankruptcy. He served as vice-president under ex-dictator Hugo Banzer and then briefly as president when Banzer stepped down to fight cancer in 2001. Morales looms large Morales, who was barred from standing for a fourth term, has cast a long shadow over the campaign. The 65-year-old called on his rural Indigenous supporters to spoil their ballots over his exclusion and threatened mass protests if the right returns to power. Bolivia enjoyed more than a decade of strong growth and Indigenous upliftment under Morales, who nationalized the gas sector and ploughed the proceeds into social programs that halved extreme poverty. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But underinvestment in exploration has caused gas revenues to implode, falling from a peak of $6.1 billion in 2013 to $1.6 billion last year. With the country's other major resource, lithium, still underground, the government has nearly run out of the foreign exchange needed to import fuel, wheat and other key commodities.
