Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy raises concerns over chatbots and online safety saying it’s ‘something that keeps me awake at night and I think lots of parents as well’
Lisa Nandy has she worries about what her little boy sees online, with virtual chatbots “something that keeps me awake at night”.
The Culture Secretary the UK government had passed the Online Safety Act earlier this year to deal with some of the issues. But she said parents are “increasingly anxious” about the risks of chatbots and the government was looking at the possibility of new guidance.
She said: “Speaking very personally, I worry about what my little boy watches and sees on the internet. We’ve got controls on that like many parents. But particularly when it comes to chatbots, the idea that your child can be having a conversation that can lead to some very dark places, with a virtual stranger, is something that keeps me awake at night and I think lots of parents as well.”
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Ms Nandy said: “As a government we passed legislation to deal with some of these issues.” Asked whether the Online Safety Act was fit for purpose, she replied: “I agree with Ofcom, I don’t think the challenge is that Online Safety Act isn’t fit for purpose.
“Although we will keep an open mind as a government if we need further legislation. I think the issue is that none of this has been tested. Although it is clear chatbots are covered in the legislation, in what way, Ofcom are absolutely correct to say is not clear.”
She said alongside the Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall they were looking at the possibility of issuing guidance. She added: “As a government we will take whatever action we need to, to keep our children safe from harm.”
Her comments came after claims by an American mother that her 14-year-year son took his own life after engaging with an online character on the Character.ai app in late spring 2023. Megan Garcia said Sewell became “drastically different from the sweet, happy boy he always was his entire life” as she appeared on the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg show on Sunday.
After the teenager’s death, in Orlando, Florida, Ms Garcia said she had the “chance to review hundreds and hundreds of messages between him and AI companion chatbot on a platform called Character.ai”.
She said: “My 14-year-old child was manipulated into thinking not only was the chatbot real but that she had emotions and feelings for him. And she kept encouraging him to ‘come home to her’ over a series of months.”
Ms Garcia, who the BBC said is suing the company for what she believes is the wrongful death of her son, said she believed Sewell would still be alive if he had not downloaded the app.
A Character.ai spokesman told the BBC it “denies the allegations made in that case but otherwise cannot comment on pending litigation”. It said in addition to stopping under 18s having conversations with virtual characters, the platform “will also be rolling out new age assurance functionality to help ensure users receive the right experience for their age”.
They said: “These changes go hand in hand with our commitment to safety as we continue evolving our AI entertainment platform. We hope our new features are fun for younger users, and that they take off the table the concerns some have expressed about chatbot interactions for younger users. We believe that safety and engagement do not need to be mutually exclusive.” The Mirror has contacted Character.ai.