On September 11, 2025 (local time), the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) declared that it had issued directives to seven artificial intelligence chatbot developers. These developers are now required to supply information concerning the effects of their technology on children and teenagers. The seven companies in question are Alphabet (the parent company of Google), OpenAI, Meta along with its subsidiary Instagram, Snap, xAI, and Character Technologies Inc. (the creator of Character.AI).

The FTC pointed out that AI chatbots have the potential to mimic human-like conversations and forge personal connections with users. Given this, it becomes crucial to comprehend the steps these companies have implemented to evaluate the safety of these chatbots when they act as companions. The FTC is seeking a range of information, including how these companies generate revenue from user interactions, the processes involved in developing and approving chatbot characters, the methods of using and sharing personal information, the ways in which they monitor and enforce adherence to company rules and terms of service, as well as the strategies employed to minimize negative impacts.