Australia orders AI chatbot companies to detail child protection measures
Australia has directed four artificial-intelligence chatbot companies to explain the steps they take to protect children from exposure to sexual content, self-harm, and other harmful material, as the country ramps up online safety regulations.
The eSafety Commissioner sent notices to Character Technologies (maker of the celebrity simulation chatbot Character.ai) and rivals Glimpse.AI, Chai Research, and Chub AI, seeking details on safeguards against child sexual exploitation, pornography, and content promoting suicide or eating disorders, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
“There can be a darker side to some of these services, with many chatbots capable of engaging in sexually explicit conversations with minors,” Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.
“Concerns have also been raised that they may encourage suicide, self-harm, or disordered eating.”
Australia’s internet regulator can compel companies to report safety measures or face daily fines of up to A$825,000 ($536,000). Character.ai is currently facing a lawsuit in the United States after the mother of a 14-year-old claimed her son died by suicide following extended interactions with the AI companion. The company says it has implemented safety features, such as pop-ups linking users to suicide prevention resources.
The eSafety regulator reported that some Australian children as young as 13 spend up to five hours daily interacting with chatbots, sometimes engaging in sexual conversations. Officials warn that minors risk forming sexual or emotionally dependent ties or being encouraged toward self-harm.
Notably, OpenAI’s ChatGPT was not included in the inquiry, as companion-based chatbots were the focus, and ChatGPT will only come under Australia’s industry code in March 2026.
From December, Australia will also require social media platforms to deactivate or block accounts for users under 16, with penalties of up to A$49.5 million, as part of a wider effort to safeguard young people’s mental and physical health.
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