Article · AI translation
IT Home reported on October 29 that New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law on October 28 local time prohibiting unsafe AI chatbot services from being provided to minors.
IT Home learned that “unsafe” here covers impersonating real people, creating emotional dependence, encouraging self-harm or suicide, encouraging self-isolation, and sexually explicit or child sexual abuse content.
The state law requires companies to verify users’ ages, offer multiple methods of age verification, and delete age information after use. If a company violates the law, the state attorney general may seek civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation (IT Home note: approximately 167,000 yuan at current exchange rates), as well as remedies including compensation and the destruction of illegally collected data or AI models trained on it.
According to data provided by the nonprofit Common Sense Media, at least 72% of teenagers have used AI companions, and 52% of teenagers are active users who interact with AI multiple times a month.
Hochul said:
New York State has sent a clear message: If you want to do business in our state, you must put children’s safety first.
Another law signed the same day requires manufacturers to ensure that connected baby monitors cannot be exploited by strangers and carry clear warning labels about their functions.