While the launch starts within the next week in the United States and Canada, it will launch in Australia later this year. The chatbot will only be available to people via Google’s Family Link accounts.
But this development comes with major risks. It also highlights how, even if children are banned from social media, parents will still have to play a game of whack-a-mole with new technologies as they try to keep their children safe.
A good way to address this would be to urgently implement a digital duty of care for big tech companies such as Google.
May 12, 2025. Over 60 orgs including the Warriors, united to urge Congress to champion a safer, more responsible, and ethical digital future for our children.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of our children’s daily lives—from understanding their speech to powering search engines to helping with their homework. Yet, without stringent safeguards, AI interactions pose serious risks to children’s safety, social, emotional, cognitive, and moral development, and overall well-being. We have seen firsthand the alarming consequences when profit-driven AI is unleashed on young users without adequate protections and pre-launch testing. The most alarming examples involve anthropomorphized AI companion bots, a type of AI product that is unsafe for minors by design:
Meta’s AI chatbots on Instagram and Facebook were reported engaging users, including those potentially identifying as minors, in sexually suggestive or inappropriate conversations, with internal sources noting concerns about loosened safety filters in the push for engagement (Wall Street Journal, “Meta’s ‘Digital Companions’ Will Talk Sex With Users—Even Children,” April 26th, 2025).
Replika was flagged for serious privacy concerns and potential exposure to adult content for users (See, e.g., Mozilla Foundation, *Privacy Not Included*, Reports 2022, 2023).
Snapchat’s “My AI” chatbot offered disturbing guidance to a user posing as a 13-year old, advising on inappropriate sexual relationships and concealing physical abuse (Center for Countering Digital Hate, “AI Exposed: How My AI Puts Children At Risk”, April 2023).
Character.AI allowed the creation of chatbots engaging in child sexual abuse roleplay and suicide-themed conversations, violating the company’s own terms of service (Futurism, “Character. AI Promises Changes After Revelations of Pedophile and Suicide Bots on Its Service,” November 14, 2024).
These documented incidents are not isolated occurrences—they illustrate a broader systemic danger where technology companies prioritize engagement metrics and profitability over children’s safety, development, and wellbeing. Tech executives have been clear that these bots are designed to not only imitate social interaction, but also somehow meet a user’s social needs. In order to flourish, children need responsive interaction from humans who care about them and can empathize with them – something AI can’t provide. It is no exaggeration to call this a reckless race to market that directly threatens the health and well-being of our youngest generation.
Yet, technology need not be designed in an inherently dangerous way.
To prevent unnecessary harms and realize the potential for positive uses of technology, we advocate at a minimum for clear non-negotiable guiding principles and standards in the design and operation of all AI products aimed at children:
Ban Attention-Based Design: No AI designed for minors should profit from extending engagement through manipulative design of any sort. Manipulation includes, but is not limited to, anthropomorphic companion AI which by its nature deceives minors by seeking to meet their social needs. AI must prioritize children’s well-being over profits or research.
Minimal and Protected Data Collection: Companies should collect only essential data required for safe AI operation. Children’s data must never be monetized, sold or used without full and clear disclosure and parental consent in support of that usage.
Full Parental Transparency: Parents should have comprehensive visibility and control, including proactive notifications and straightforward content moderation tools.
Robust Age-Appropriate Safeguards: AI must not serve up inappropriate or harmful content, specifically content that would violate a platform’s own community guidelines or Federal Law.
Independent Auditing and Accountability: AI products must undergo regular third-party audits and testing with child-development experts. Companies must swiftly address identified harms, taking full accountability. Future products should be extensively tested with minors before release instead of after.
Mark Zuckerberg recently took to Instagram to boast that nearly a billion people now use Meta AI across the company’s platforms. To celebrate, he announced the launch of a new standalone app, encouraging users to “Check it out!” It sounded innocuous, almost charming, as if he were discussing a playful new feature. But make no mistake: this wasn’t just a product release. It was a warning shot from a man who now has his hands firmly on the wheel of reality.
The new app is only part of the story. The real revolution — and the real threat — lies in what comes next: Meta’s AI glasses. Sunglasses, spectacles, whatever you want to call them — they look like something out of a sci-fi flick. But they’re real, and they’re here. Very soon, millions or perhaps tens of millions of people will be walking around with them on. And you might not even know it.
All this is done without lifting a phone or typing a word. These glasses are not just watching the world. They are interpreting, filtering and rewriting it with the full force of Meta’s algorithms behind the lens. And if you think you’re safe just because you’re not wearing a pair, think again, because the people who wear them will inevitably point them in your direction.
You will be captured, analyzed and logged, whether you like it or not.
Every sidewalk encounter becomes a data point. Every offhand comment, facial expression, or glance across the room becomes part of the feed. And you won’t be able to opt out. These glasses will not only collect data but also send it back to Meta’s servers to be processed, monetized and repurposed: facial recognition, behavioral prediction, sentiment analysis — all happening in real time. The implications are staggering. This isn’t just about surveillance. It’s about control of perception.
Meta’s glasses will create a world of layered realities where truth is fluid, curated and mediated by algorithm. And the algorithm, of course, is written by Meta. Imagine a future where you’re at a job interview. The person across the table is wearing Meta glasses. They can see a summary of your public online activity. They know your political leanings, your social network connections, your digital footprint. You don’t even know what they know, but it’s shaping how they see you.
Or imagine walking down a street and having your face scanned by a dozen pairs of AI glasses, your expressions analyzed, your emotional state cataloged by strangers in real time.
Mark Zuckerberg isn’t building a product; he’s building a world — a filtered, augmented, monitored and monetized world where Meta AI becomes the interface between your mind and your surroundings. Forget the phone in your pocket. That was the last battlefield. The war now moves to your face. With the AI app integrated seamlessly into the glasses, users can ask questions aloud, receive contextual answers about anything they’re looking at, and even record what they’re seeing — automatically transcribed and stored.
Meta AI becomes your co-pilot, pumping curated truths directly into your ear. And if history has shown us anything, it’s that these truths won’t be neutral. They’ll be shaped by ideology, politics and profit — the forces that already twist what we see on Instagram and Facebook. Zuckerberg likes to say Meta is about connecting people. But in reality, Meta is about framing people. It’s about shaping what they see, interpreting others and moving through the world.
It’s a shift as profound as Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press or the invention of television, but far more personal, invasive and opaque. And for those who think this sounds like hyperbole, remember that Meta already controls platforms used by billions — most notably Instagram and Facebook. Integration of glasses into this ecosystem won’t require mandates. It will happen through incentives — enhanced features, exclusive experiences and augmented perks for users who wear them. And before long, opting in will feel like opting out of modern life. This is how normalization begins — not with force, but with frictionless adoption.
While the press discusses Apple’s bulky VR headsets and TikTok controversies, few grasp the totality of Meta’s vision. This isn’t just about hardware or software; it is about owning the infrastructure of reality itself. We’re witnessing the privatization of sight, the commercialization of perception, and the algorithmic colonization of daily life.
And with nearly half the world’s population already wired into the Meta ecosystem, who’s left to stop Zuckerberg from turning the rest of reality into a profitable product? Governments are asleep at the wheel, regulators are toothless and users — seduced by convenience, novelty and social validation — are already lining up to become beta testers in this new augmented society. The truth isn’t hidden; it’s staring us in the face.
John Mac Ghlionn is a writer and researcher who explores culture, society and the impact of technology on daily life.
Map Shows Where Child Marriage Remains Legal as Maine Ban Becomes Law
Child marriage remains legal in most states, many of which allow children as young as 15 or 16 years old to get married. A handful of states have no age requirements at all for marriage. About 300,000 children have gotten married since 2000, according to Unchained at Last, an organization that fights for laws banning child marriage.
Advocates to end child marriage say that married minors are left vulnerable on multiple fronts. Married minors lack the legal rights of an adult to obtain a lawyer and fight the marriage if they do not want to get married, advocates say, noting they also are more likely to face lifelong challenges surrounding poverty and abuse.
What to Know
Maine’s ban on child marriage means the practice is now banned in the entirety of New England, ending what advocates view as a potential child marriage haven. New Hampshire’s law against child marriage kicked in at the beginning of the year, though some in the Granite State are seeking to add an exemption to the ban.
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day shines a spotlight on the mental well-being of kids across the world. It’s a day to encourage understanding, break down stigma, and promote support for children struggling with mental health issues. With more kids facing mental health challenges each day, early help and proper attention are vital.
Children’s mental health refers to how kids think, feel, and act as they grow. It impacts their ability to learn, make friends, and handle daily life. Usually, children show their feelings in ways that match their age. But when certain behaviors or feelings persist or worsen, it may signal a problem. Common issues include anxiety, depression, ADHD, or trauma. Recognizing these helps us support them early.
The Importance of Early Detection and Intervention
Spotting mental health struggles early changes everything. When concerns are caught quickly, children can get help before problems worsen. For example, a child showing signs of anxiety might start missing school or avoiding friends. With help, they can regain confidence and happiness. Experts suggest routine screening and assessment from a young age to catch issues before they become serious.
Tim Estes joins Haley for this week’s episode to discuss the launch of an incredible new platform: AngelQ. Among his many other accomplishments, Tim is the CEO and Founder of Angel AI. He chats with Haley about how AngelQ got started and what parents can do with this tool. They also discuss the recent report of a disturbing conversation that journalists from the Wall Street Journal were able to generate from the Meta AI chat service. This just emphasizes the need for smart and safe AI tools like the one that Tim and the team at AngelQ have created.
AngelQ is an AI-driven tool that creates safe and curated experiences for kids and gives parents peace of mind. It’s more than just a safety tool – AngelQ is designed to encourage and inspire kids as they use the internet to learn, have fun, and then hop offline to explore the world around them.
We loved seeing everyone. A special thanks to all of our sponsors and those who volunteered and donated. Stay tuned for pictures. You are all Warriors.
lynnswarriors05-07 Thank You to ALL of the Warriors Who Attended Our Community Creates Change Event in NYC
NYC. Monday morn. In a few short hours, the celebration of HOPE begins. Please join us. #communitycreateschange It’s time. Tuesday, 5/6 at 5:30 PM. A Lynn’s Warriors Benefit – Support human trafficking education and survivor empowerment.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial to delve into the seediest side of rap’s ‘bad boy’
Hip-hop impresario Sean “Diddy” Combs once presided like a prince over his White Parties in the Hamptons, attracting A-list celebrities, gossip columnists and photographers. But at a trial starting Monday, prosecutors will cast the entertainer as a criminal sexual deviant who exploited his fame to abuse women at gatherings held far out of public view.
For over two decades, prosecutors allege, the Bad Boy Records founder used the power and prestige he’d gained in building a hip-hop empire to destroy young lives.
He faces an indictment that includes descriptions of “Freak Offs,” drugged-up orgies in which women were forced to have sex with male sex workers while Combs filmed them.
