In brief
On Oct. 29, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law that bars AI chatbots from offering certain features to minors. The law imposes civil penalties of up to $25,000, creates a public complaint website, and follows a growing trend of state‑wide AI safety measures. The governor emphasized that chatbots could no longer pretend to be a child’s friend or romantic partner.
On Oct. 29, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law that bars AI chatbots from offering certain features to users under 18, the governor’s office announced.
The legislation prohibits companies from offering chatbots: pretending to be human, building emotional dependency, encouraging self‑harm, or engaging in sexually explicit conversations with minors.
Violations can trigger civil penalties of up to $25,000, according to the law’s provisions.
The law also establishes a public website where New Yorkers can file complaints against chatbot companies for potential violations.
Similar regulations have been enacted in other states, including California’s requirement that chatbot developers conduct annual child‑safety risk assessments and submit products to independent audits.
Governor Kathy Hochul said:
“No longer will minors have access to chatbots that pretend to be their friends, boyfriends and girlfriends.”
The Washington Post reports that Hochul outlined a dozen definitions of “unsafe AI companion features” that will be prohibited when a companion chatbot interacts with a child under 18.
