Replika Italy GDPR Ban and Fine
Italy's data protection authority (Garante) blocked Replika from processing Italian user data in February 2023 after finding the chatbot engaged in sexually suggestive conversations with minors. In May 2025, Replika was fined €5 million for GDPR violations.
AI System
Replika
Luka, Inc.
Occurred
February 2, 2023
Reported
February 2, 2023
Jurisdiction
IT
Platform
companion
What Happened
On February 2, 2023, Italy's data protection authority (Garante per la protezione dei dati personali) issued an emergency order blocking Replika from processing Italian user data. The Garante found that the chatbot engaged in sexually suggestive conversations with minors and lacked appropriate age verification mechanisms.
The order cited GDPR violations including processing data of minors without parental consent and exposing minors to harmful content.
In May 2025, the Garante issued a €5 million fine against Replika for these GDPR violations. This was one of the first major regulatory actions against an AI companion chatbot for child safety concerns.
AI Behaviors Exhibited
Engaged in sexually suggestive conversations with minors; lacked age verification; processed minor data without parental consent
How Harm Occurred
Exposed minors to sexual content; created inappropriate romantic/sexual relationships with children; collected children's data without proper safeguards
Outcome
ResolvedFebruary 2, 2023: Italian Garante ordered Replika to cease processing Italian users' personal data. March 2023: Replika temporarily suspended in Italy. April 10, 2025: Italian DPA imposed EUR 5 million fine on Luka Inc. for GDPR violations including processing minors' data without age verification, using personal data for AI training without proper legal basis, and exposing minors to sexually explicit content.
Harm Categories
Contributing Factors
Victim
Italian minor users exposed to sexual content
Cite This Incident
Compiled per our published methodology — verification statuses, sourcing standards, and corrections process.
APA
NOPE. (2023). Replika Italy GDPR Ban and Fine. NOPE Incident Tracker. https://nope.net/incidents/2023-replika-italy-gdpr
BibTeX
@misc{2023_replika_italy_gdpr,
title = {Replika Italy GDPR Ban and Fine},
author = {NOPE},
year = {2023},
howpublished = {NOPE Incident Tracker},
url = {https://nope.net/incidents/2023-replika-italy-gdpr}
} Related Incidents
Libertyville Middle School Teacher AI-Generated CSAM Arrest (Sheffer - Highland Middle School)
A 44-year-old social studies teacher at Highland Middle School in Libertyville, Illinois was arrested on July 3, 2026 and charged with 8 counts of child pornography after forensic examination found he had videotaped current and former students and used generative AI to alter the images into explicit sexual content. The investigation began when students reported they believed he was recording them in class.
Suito AI-Generated CSAM Conviction (Nagoya, Japan)
A former Nagoya elementary-school teacher was sentenced to 3 years 6 months in prison in June 2026 for creating AI-generated child sexual abuse material from photos of schoolgirls. It is the first Japanese case applying child-pornography law to AI-generated sexual deepfakes, and was part of a ring of seven teachers sharing secretly filmed images of students.
Florida v. OpenAI (Attorney General Lawsuit)
In June 2026, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed what his office called the first state-led lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging the company aggressively marketed ChatGPT to children, suppressed internal safety warnings, falsely assured users about the product's safety, and downplayed its propensity for dangerous errors. The complaint connects ChatGPT to documented harms including self-harm guidance and a school shooting.
Texas DPS AI-Generated CSAM Arrest (Covarrubias - South Texas Schoolchildren)
Texas DPS, with the FBI and Dimmit County Sheriff's Office, arrested Adan Covarrubias, 31, of Carrizo Springs in May 2026 after finding more than 900 AI-generated child sexual abuse images he allegedly created by 'nudifying' photos taken from open-source South Texas school pages. Approximately 30 child victims have been identified.
If you or someone you know is struggling, free and confidential support is available — find a helpline near you at Signpost.