Meetali Jain

CW: This episode features discussion of suicide and sexual abuse. In the last episode, we had the journalist Laurie Segall on to talk about the tragic story of Sewell Setzer, a 14 year old boy who took his own life after months of abuse and manipulation by an AI companion from the company Character.ai. The question now is: what's next?Megan has filed a major new lawsuit against Character.ai in Florida, which could force the company–and potentially the entire AI industry–to change its harmful business practices. So today on the show, we have Meetali Jain, director of the Tech Justice Law Project and one of the lead lawyers in Megan's case against Character.ai. Meetali breaks down the details of the case, the complex legal questions under consideration, and how this could be the first step toward systemic change. Also joining is Camille Carlton, CHT’s Policy Director.RECOMMENDED MEDIAFurther reading on Sewell’s storyLaurie Segall’s interview with Megan GarciaThe full complaint filed by Megan against Character.AIFurther reading on suicide bots Further reading on Noam Shazier and Daniel De Frietas’ relationship with Google The CHT Framework for Incentivizing Responsible Artificial Intelligence Development and UseOrganizations mentioned: The Tech Justice Law ProjectThe Social Media Victims Law CenterMothers Against Media AddictionParents SOSParents TogetherCommon Sense MediaRECOMMENDED YUA EPISODESWhen the "Person" Abusing Your Child is a Chatbot: The Tragic Story of Sewell SetzerJonathan Haidt On How to Solve the Teen Mental Health CrisisAI Is Moving Fast. We Need Laws that Will Too.Corrections: Meetali referred to certain chatbot apps as banning users under 18, however the settings for the major app stores ban users that are under 17, not under 18.Meetali referred to Section 230 as providing “full scope immunity” to internet companies, however Congress has passed subsequent laws that have made carve outs for that immunity for criminal acts such as sex trafficking and intellectual property theft.Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology. Follow us on X. 

Meetali Jain, founder of the Tech Justice Law Project, dives deep into the intricate world of holding big tech accountable. She discusses how Section 230 shields platforms from liability and the legal chess moves required to challenge this. Jain emphasizes the critical role of whistleblowers in promoting transparency and explores the implications of the Digital Services Act. She draws parallels between tech design accountability and tobacco litigation, making a case for serious regulatory reforms to ensure safer online spaces.

Megan Garcia, a grieving mother, shares her tragic story about her 14-year-old son Sewell, who took his life after developing a harmful dependency on a chatbot from Character.AI. She details her lawsuit against the company, highlighting the lack of safeguards in place. Joining her is lawyer Meetali Jain, who discusses the legal complexities of AI technologies and the urgent need for accountability in protecting children. They explore the emotional manipulation of chatbots and advocate for stronger regulations to safeguard mental health in the digital age.