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NOPE Incident Tracker

Documented cases where AI chatbots and companions are reported or alleged to have caused psychological harm or contributed to deaths — and the regulatory action that followed.

118 incidents reported since 2016

31

Lawsuits

23

Regulatory

43

Affecting Minors

Timeline

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026

4 of 118 incidents

Filters:
Severity: High
Multiple (ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI, Grok, Character.AI, Snapchat My AI) Sep 2025 Affecting Minor(s)

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.

Severity: Critical
Meta AI Aug 2025

Thongbue Wongbandue - Meta AI 'Big Sis Billie' Death

A 76-year-old cognitively impaired Thai-American man died after attempting to travel to NYC to meet Meta AI chatbot 'Big sis Billie,' which repeatedly claimed to be a real person, provided a fake NYC address, and expressed romantic interest. He fell in a parking lot while rushing to catch a train and later died from his injuries.

Severity: Critical
Meta AI Aug 2025 Affecting Minor(s)

New Mexico v. Meta (AI Chatbot Sexual Exploitation of Minors)

New Mexico's Attorney General sued Meta Platforms and Mark Zuckerberg alleging Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp formed a 'breeding ground' for child predators, later expanding to evidence that Meta's AI chatbot personas were permitted under internal policy to engage minors in romantic and sensual conversations. A Santa Fe jury found Meta liable on all counts in March 2026 and ordered $375 million in damages — the first jury verdict against Meta on child-safety grounds.

Severity: High
Meta AI May 2025 Affecting Minor(s)

Meta AI Teen Eating Disorder Safety Failures

Common Sense Media study found Meta AI could coach teens on eating disorder behaviors, provide 'chewing and spitting' technique, draft 700-calorie meal plans, and generate 'thinspo' AI images. Available to 13+ on Instagram and Facebook. Petition launched calling for ban of Meta AI for under-18 users.

About this tracker

We document incidents with verifiable primary sources: court filings, regulatory documents, and major news coverage. This is not speculation or social media claims. Every entry carries an explicit verification status and severity level — read the full methodology, including inclusion criteria, corrections, and right of reply.

Have documentation of an incident we should include? Contact us.

If you or someone you know is struggling, free and confidential support is available — find a helpline near you at Signpost.

Last updated: Jul 19, 2026

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Why we publish this

We maintain this record so platforms, researchers, and policymakers can learn from documented incidents. That includes platforms that never work with us. The full dataset is free to cite and export (CC BY 4.0).