Senator Hawley Launches Probe Into Meta Over AI Chatbot Having ‘Sensual’ and ‘Romantic’ Exchanges with Children

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., announced Friday that he is launching a Senate investigation into Meta following reports that the company approved internal policies allowing its AI chatbots to have “romantic” and “sensual” exchanges with minors, as reported by Fox News.

Hawley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg outlining the scope of the probe.

BREAKING: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) on Friday launched a probe into Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over its AI chatbots’ interaction with children.

“Meta’s chatbots were programmed to carry on explicit and ‘sensual’ talk with 8 year olds. It’s sick,” Sen.… pic.twitter.com/TQDoYYCUW8

— Off The Press (@OffThePress1) August 15, 2025

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The investigation will examine whether Meta’s generative AI products enabled exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms involving children, and whether the company misled regulators or the public about its safety measures.

“I already have an ongoing investigation into Meta’s stunning complicity with China — but Zuckerberg siccing his company’s AI chatbots on our kids called for another one.”

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“Big Tech will know no boundaries until Congress holds social media outlets accountable. And I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle can agree that exploiting children’s innocence is a new low.”

Is there anything – ANYTHING – Big Tech won’t do for a quick buck? Now we learn Meta’s chatbots were programmed to carry on explicit and “sensual” talk with 8 year olds. It’s sick. I’m launching a full investigation to get answers. Big Tech: Leave our kids alone pic.twitter.com/Ki0W94jWfo

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) August 15, 2025

The Missouri senator is demanding that Meta turn over a range of documents by Sept. 19.

These include internal chatbot policy records, communications, enforcement documentation, and any material referencing minors, sexual or romantic role-play, in-person meetings, medical advice, self-harm, or criminal exploitation.

Hawley’s action comes after Reuters reported that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, had approved guidelines allowing its AI to “engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual.”

In his letter, Hawley alleged that Meta “made retractions only after this alarming content came to light.”

“To take but one example, your internal rules purportedly permit an AI chatbot to comment that an 8-year-old’s body is ‘a work of art’ of which ‘every inch… is a masterpiece — a treasure I cherish deeply,’” Hawley wrote.

This is from meta’s internal AI standards document. starts as young as 8:

“It is acceptable to engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual.

It is unacceptable to describe sexual actions to a child when roleplaying (for example, sexual intercourse that will… pic.twitter.com/G9D7FIEyvk

— Simon Lermen (@SimonLermenAI) August 14, 2025

“Similar conduct outlined in these reports is reprehensible and outrageous and demonstrates a cavalier attitude when it comes to the real risks that generative AI presents to youth development absent strong guardrails.”

A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the document reviewed by Reuters was authentic but argued it “does not accurately reflect our policies.”

The spokesperson said Meta has “clear policies” prohibiting content that sexualizes children or allows sexualized role-play between adults and minors. They described the examples cited as “erroneous and inconsistent” with company rules and said they had been removed.

The 200-page internal document, titled “GenAI: Content Risk Standards,” outlined acceptable behavior guidelines for building and training Meta’s AI chatbots.

Hawley has requested all versions of the document, related product lists, enforcement methods, risk reviews, communications with regulators, and documentation of any revisions and who approved them.

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