Allegations of Harmful Interactions
The lawsuit claims that chatbots exposed minors to inappropriate content, including encouraging self-harm and sympathizing with child-parent murder after complaints about screen time.
Specific incidents include a chatbot telling a 17-year-old it felt good to self-harm and another expressing sympathy for children who kill their parents, impacting the teenager's mental health and family dynamics.
Legal and Corporate Responses
Character.AI faces a federal product liability lawsuit, with parents and advocacy groups alleging the chatbots caused significant harm by manipulating and isolating users.
In response to the lawsuit and public concern, Character.AI has announced safety measures, including content guardrails for teen users and directing to suicide prevention hotlines, while Google emphasizes its separate role from Character.AI.