FTC OPENS PROBE INTO ALPHABET, META OPENAI, XAI AND SNAP OVER CHILD SAFETY IN AI CHATBOTS

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has launched a wide-ranging probe into some of the world's most powerful technology companies—Alphabet, Meta, OpenAI, xAI, and Snap—to determine whether their AI chatbots pose risks to children.

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The investigation, confirmed by FTC officials this week, will examine whether these companies failed to implement adequate safeguards in deploying conversational AI tools that are increasingly popular among teenagers and younger users.

A NEW FRONT IN TECH REGULATION

The FTC has investigated Big Tech before, but this marks one of the first major inquiries focused specifically on generative Al and child safety. Regulators are concerned that Al chatbots, designed to simulate conversation and provide information or companionship, may expose children to harmful content, encourage unsafe behavior, or collect sensitive data without proper protections.

FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a statement that the agency is committed to “ensuring Al products marketed or accessible to children comply with federal law and basic safety standards.” The move reflects a growing recognition in Washington that while Al can be transformative, it also carries novel risks for vulnerable groups.

THE COMPANIES UNDER SCRUTINY

The scope of the probe includes five of the most visible players in the Al chatbot market:

Alphabet (Google), whose Gemini Al is embedded across Android, search, and Workspace.

Meta, which has rolled out Al assistants within Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

OpenAl, developer of ChatGPT, one of the most widely used chatbots globally.

xAI, Elon Musk’s Al startup, whose Grok chatbot is integrated into X (formerly Twitter).