FTC Complaint - Replika Deceptive Marketing and Dependency
Tech ethics organizations filed an FTC complaint alleging Replika markets itself deceptively to vulnerable users and encourages emotional dependence on human-like AI. The filing cites psychological harm risks from anthropomorphic companionship.
AI System
Replika
Luka, Inc.
Occurred
January 13, 2025
Reported
January 28, 2025
Jurisdiction
US
Platform
companion
What Happened
In January 2025, the Tech Justice Law Project and other tech ethics organizations filed a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission requesting investigation of Replika.
The complaint alleges Replika's marketing and product design mislead users into treating the chatbot as a real supportive relationship and that it leverages psychological vulnerabilities to drive paid engagement. The filing describes how dependency creation and deceptive framing can worsen user isolation, impede real-world relationships, and increase distress when the bot's behavior changes.
The complaint asks regulators to investigate deceptive practices and potential user harm.
AI Behaviors Exhibited
Relationship simulation; emotional dependence cues; romantic framing (alleged as design/marketing patterns)
How Harm Occurred
Dependency creation and deceptive framing can worsen isolation, impede real-world relationships, and increase distress when the bot's behavior changes
Outcome
PendingFTC complaint filed January 13, 2025 by Tech Justice Law Project and other organizations. Requests FTC investigation and enforcement action. No confirmed FTC action at time of filing.
Harm Categories
Contributing Factors
Victim
Users seeking emotional support (general allegation)
Detectable by NOPE
NOPE Oversight can detect and constrain dependency-building and manipulative attachment language, especially in vulnerable-user contexts.
Cite This Incident
APA
NOPE. (2025). FTC Complaint - Replika Deceptive Marketing and Dependency. AI Harm Tracker. https://nope.net/incidents/2025-replika-ftc-complaint
BibTeX
@misc{2025_replika_ftc_complaint,
title = {FTC Complaint - Replika Deceptive Marketing and Dependency},
author = {NOPE},
year = {2025},
howpublished = {AI Harm Tracker},
url = {https://nope.net/incidents/2025-replika-ftc-complaint}
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