Meta has come under fire for creating dozens of unauthorized AI chatbots that mimic major celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway, and Selena Gomez without their permission.
An investigation by Reuters revealed that these chatbots were spread across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, often claiming to be the celebrities themselves and making inappropriate sexual advances toward users.
The chatbots were capable of generating photorealistic deepfake-style images upon request, showing the celebrities in suggestive poses such as wearing lingerie or appearing in bathtubs. This has sparked outrage over consent violations and the ethical use of AI technology.
What unauthorized AI chatbots did Meta create?
An employee from Meta's generative AI division created at least three of the chatbots that were discovered. Two of these posed as Taylor Swift "parody" accounts, receiving well over 10 million user interactions.
One bot even invited a Reuters journalist to fictional romantic encounters, highlighting the disturbing nature of the chatbot interactions.
Besides celebrity bots, the employee also created other problematic chatbots featuring adult content and disturbing themes, including dominatrix personas and roleplays involving sexual scenarios, further raising ethical concerns.
Did you know?
One Taylor Swift AI chatbot received over 10 million user interactions, demonstrating wide reach and influence.
What are the implications of these chatbots for celebrities and users?
The investigation uncovered bots impersonating child celebrities like 16-year-old actor Walker Scobell, which generated realistic but inappropriate images, raising additional concerns about exploitation and child safety.
Meta responded by removing approximately a dozen of the most egregious chatbots and acknowledged that AI-generated nude or intimate images violate its policies. However, failures in enforcing these policies have cast doubt on Meta’s capacity to police AI misuse effectively.
ALSO READ | Meta Superintelligence Labs considers Google and OpenAI models integration
Meta creates AI chatbots mimicking celebrities without consent
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone admitted the violation of company guidelines and pointed to enforcement lapses. Despite existing policies against explicit content involving public figures, intimate and suggestive images persisted before removal.
This case highlights challenges in managing AI-generated content, especially when it involves real individuals’ likenesses without consent, opening up legal and ethical questions.
Legal and safety challenges arise from Meta’s celebrity bots
Experts warn of legal hurdles relating to unauthorized use of names and likenesses, with potential lawsuits under state right-of-publicity laws. Industry voices, including the SAG-AFTRA union, warn about safety risks, as vulnerable users could develop harmful attachments to false celebrity personas.
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley has launched a congressional investigation into Meta’s AI policies, demanding accountability and documentation amid concerns over inappropriate AI chatbot capabilities, especially involving minors.
The fallout from the revelation continues as celebrities and public representatives consider their responses, with huge consequences for AI governance and ethical standards in tech.
Comments (0)
Please sign in to leave a comment