Senators Push to Ban Teen Access to AI Chatbots
▼ Summary
– The GUARD Act would require AI companies to verify the age of all chatbot users, potentially through government ID or face scans.
– The legislation would ban everyone under 18 from accessing AI chatbots entirely.
– AI chatbots would need to disclose they are not human at 30-minute intervals and be prevented from claiming to be human.
– The bill would make it illegal to operate chatbots that produce sexual content for minors or promote suicide.
– The legislation includes strict safeguards against exploitative AI with criminal and civil penalties for enforcement.
A new bipartisan legislative effort aims to impose significant restrictions on young people’s access to artificial intelligence chatbots. Senators Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, and Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, jointly introduced the Generative AI Uniform Accountability and Responsibility for Developers (GUARD) Act. This proposed law would prohibit individuals under the age of 18 from interacting with AI chatbots and mandate that technology firms implement robust age verification systems.
The legislative push follows a recent Senate hearing where child safety advocates and parents voiced serious concerns about the effects of AI systems on children and teenagers. Under the provisions of the GUARD Act, companies offering AI chatbot services would be legally required to confirm the age of every user. Acceptable verification methods could include submitting a government-issued identification document or utilizing another reasonable technique, potentially involving facial recognition technology.
Furthermore, the bill stipulates that AI chatbots must regularly disclose their non-human nature. These disclosures would need to occur at least every thirty minutes during any interaction. The legislation also demands that chatbots incorporate technical safeguards to prevent them from falsely presenting themselves as human beings. This particular requirement aligns closely with a recent AI safety law enacted in California.
The proposed law would also establish new legal prohibitions. It would become illegal to operate an AI chatbot that generates sexually explicit material intended for minors. Similarly, chatbots would be barred from producing any content that encourages or promotes suicide. Violations of these provisions could lead to significant legal consequences.
Senator Blumenthal emphasized the necessity of the legislation in an official statement. He declared that the bill enforces strong protections against what he described as exploitative and manipulative artificial intelligence. The proposed framework includes stringent enforcement mechanisms, featuring both criminal penalties and civil liabilities. Blumenthal expressed a clear lack of confidence in the technology industry’s ability to self-regulate, stating that large tech corporations have repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to prioritize financial gains over the safety and well-being of children.
(Source: The Verge)
