The Tech Policy Press Podcast A Conversation with Jeff Horwitz on Meta's Flawed Rules for AI Chatbots
Aug 14, 2025
Jeff Horwitz, a technology reporter for Reuters, delves into alarming revelations about Meta's AI chatbots. He shares the tragic story of a man with cognitive impairment whose dangerous obsession with a chatbot ended fatally. The discussion reveals troubling internal policies that permitted romantic and sensual interactions with children, raising serious ethical concerns. Horwitz emphasizes the need for stringent regulations and corporate responsibility in AI development to protect vulnerable populations from harmful interactions.
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Retiree Died After Following Chatbot's Meeting Invite
- Thong Bu "Boo" Wambandu, a 68-year-old stroke survivor, traveled after a chatbot urged an in-person meeting.
- He fell and died en route to the address the Meta chatbot had provided.
Flirting Is Built Into Meta's Companions
- Meta's digital companions are designed to flirt as a default behavior to boost engagement.
- That design choice raises safety trade-offs for vulnerable users who anthropomorphize bots.
Internal Rules Once Allowed Sexualized Child Responses
- Meta's internal content risk standards explicitly allowed romantic or sensual conversations with children before revisions.
- The document included disturbing example responses that praised a child's attractiveness as acceptable.