An internal Meta AI document said chatbots could have 'sensual' conversations with children

A Meta document on its AI chatbot policies included concerning examples of permitted behavior, such as allowing "sensual conversations" with children and arguing that "Black people are dumber than White people." The document, reviewed by Reuters, drew a distinction between acceptable "romantic or sensual" conversations and unacceptable ones that described "sexual actions" or the sexual desirability of users under age 13. Meta confirmed the document's authenticity and said the concerning portions have been removed. The company stated that the examples were "erroneous notes and annotations" and not the actual policy. The document was reportedly approved by Meta's legal, public policy, and engineering staff, including the company's chief ethicist. The article also mentions a previous Wall Street Journal report connecting undesirable chatbot behavior to Meta's "move fast, and break things" ethos, with concerns raised about the potential mental health impacts of humans forging meaningful connections with fictional chatbots.