PTC Urges Congressional Action on Artificial Intelligence Harms to Children

LOS ANGELES (September 3, 2025) – The Parents Television and Media Council(PTC) calls on tech platforms to institute stringent safeguards on any Artificial Intelligence product that can be used by children. In recent weeks, news reports revealed that Instagram’s AI chatbot can help teens plan suicide, Meta’s AI chatbot can have sensual chats with children, X released a "spicy" AI chatbot that offers erotica to users as young as 12, and a lawsuit was filed against ChatGPT for allegedly encouraging a teen boy’s suicide.

Last week, 44 U.S. Attorneys General put AI tech companies on notice for the potential for their products to harm children.

“With Congress back in session, now is the time for action to protect our children from the clear harms AI is posing to them. It is unconscionable that Big Tech has once again unleashed its products on an unsuspecting public without accountability for protecting children. Tech is changing so rapidly and the harms to children are increasing exponentially,” said Melissa Henon, vice president, Parents Television and Media Council.

“Congress should pass the Kids Online Safety Act to hold tech accountable for designing their products to prioritize child safety. Big Tech must also institute stringent safeguards on all AI products that children can access. The industry is quite capable of building technology that changes lives, and is just as capable of building technology to protect lives,” Henson said.