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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Technology
Johana Bhuiyan

Character.AI bans users under 18 after being sued over child’s suicide

Character United States Suicide Josh Hawley OpenAI
photos and words on a phone screen
The Charcter.AI app on a smartphone. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

The chatbot company Character.AI will ban users 18 and under from conversing with its virtual companions beginning in late November after months of legal scrutiny.

The announced change comes after the company, which enables its users to create characters with which they can have open-ended conversations, faced tough questions over how these AI companions can affect teen and general mental health, including a lawsuit over a child’s suicide and a proposed bill that would ban minors from conversing with AI companions.

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