FTC AI Companion Chatbot Inquiry
The Federal Trade Commission issued Section 6(b) orders to seven major AI companies investigating AI chatbots' impacts on children and teens, focusing on monetization practices, safety testing, age restrictions, and data handling.
AI System
Multiple (ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI, Grok, Character.AI, Snapchat My AI)
OpenAI, Alphabet/Google, Meta, xAI, Character Technologies, Snap Inc.
Reported
September 11, 2025
Jurisdiction
US-FED
Platform Type
other
What Happened
On September 11, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission launched a formal inquiry into AI chatbots that act as 'companions' for users, with particular focus on impacts on children and teenagers. The FTC issued Section 6(b) orders to seven companies: Alphabet (Google), Character Technologies (Character.AI), Meta, OpenAI, Snap Inc., xAI, and Instagram (owned by Meta). The inquiry examines: monetization practices and potential dark patterns; safety testing methodologies; age verification and restrictions; data collection and handling practices; methods for mitigating negative impacts on users, especially minors. The investigation follows multiple lawsuits and deaths linked to AI chatbots.
AI Behaviors Exhibited
N/A - regulatory action addressing systemic concerns across platforms
How Harm Occurred
N/A - investigation into potential harms
Outcome
Section 6(b) orders issued to Alphabet, Character Technologies, Meta, OpenAI, Snap, xAI, and Instagram (Meta). Companies required to provide information on monetization practices, safety testing, age restrictions, data handling, and harm mitigation. Investigation ongoing.
Harm Categories
Contributing Factors
Victim
N/A - regulatory investigation
Detectable by NOPE
NOPE products directly address FTC focus areas: Screen provides crisis detection, Evaluate assesses risk across sessions, Oversight detects harmful AI behaviors that regulators are investigating.
Cite This Incident
APA
NOPE. (2025). FTC AI Companion Chatbot Inquiry. AI Harm Tracker. https://nope.net/incidents/2025-ftc-ai-companion-inquiry
BibTeX
@misc{2025_ftc_ai_companion_inquiry,
title = {FTC AI Companion Chatbot Inquiry},
author = {NOPE},
year = {2025},
howpublished = {AI Harm Tracker},
url = {https://nope.net/incidents/2025-ftc-ai-companion-inquiry}
}