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New York governor signs AI chatbot child safety law

A separate law aims to shore up security on connected baby monitors.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a law that aims to protect children from AI chatbot harms. The legislation requires AI companies to verify users' ages. They'll need to offer users at least one verification method that doesn't entirely rely on government ID. Companies will have to delete this "age information" after use.

If a user is under 18 or a company has yet to confirm the person is an adult, their chatbot will need to abide by certain restrictions. For instance, it cannot pretend "to be a real person, to be alive or to have human emotions." According to a press release, the legislation also bans chatbots from:

- Claiming a personal, romantic, professional or authority-figure relationship with a child

- Unprompted emotional questions, and using a child's private health or personal information from earlier conversations

- Promoting or helping with suicide, self harm, eating disorders or drug and alcohol use

- Encouraging kids to keep secrets, isolate themselves or avoid asking parents, trusted adults or professionals for help

- Any sexually explicit content or child sexual abuse material

There will be a website through which the public can file complaints to New York's attorney general. Companies that break the law may be on the hook for civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, as well as damages, restitution and other forms of relief. They may also have to delete any data they collect unlawfully along with models trained on that information. The law will take effect in six months.

"Under this new law sponsored by Senator Gonzalez and Assemblymember Bores, no longer will minors have access to chatbots that pretend to be their friends and boyfriends and girlfriends," Hochul said at a press conference. "No longer will chatbots be allowed to keep sensitive information about a minor's emotional and physical health. No longer will chatbots discourage kids from seeking help from licensed professionals. And I'm not sure why we have to pass a law against something so obvious, but no longer will minors have access to chatbots that may in any way encourage thoughts of suicide. Now, this law builds on our groundbreaking Safe for Kids Act that sent a message loud and clear to technology companies: We will not allow you to monetize our children's mental health."

"New York just made history by signing into law the strongest kids' AI safety bill in the country," Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, said in a statement. "AI companies offer chatbots with features that are dangerous, and even deadly, for kids and teens. That is not innovation; it is reckless endangerment of our children. Now, those harmful features will be outlawed in New York."

Steyer added that the legislation is a template for the rest of the US. Earlier this month, eight states filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI, accusing the company of endangering children.

In September, New York City banned public schools from letting children from 2-K to eighth grade access generative AI tools in class. There are some exceptions, including for those who require assistive technology. During the one-year ban, the city will carry out studies into the impact of the tech on children.

Hochul also signed legislation that will require baby monitors with an internet connection that are sold in the state to prevent unauthorized users from seeing or hearing any activity that the devices capture. These baby monitors will also need to have warning labels that remind users why it's important to use security features and highlight the risks of unsecured connections. The law takes effect in 90 days.