California Could Get a 4-Year Ban on Toys With AI Chatbots

[DreamCrazeX]

California lawmakers propose a four-year ban on AI-powered toys for kids under 18 due to safety concerns.

A new bill introduced by Democratic state senator Steve Padilla aims to place a temporary moratorium on the sale of toys that feature artificial intelligence chatbot capabilities, with the aim of safeguarding young children from potentially hazardous interactions. The legislation, known as Senate Bill 867, would give lawmakers sufficient time to establish rigorous safety regulations for these types of products.

The bill's introduction comes amid growing concerns over AI-powered toys posing risks to child safety. Several recent incidents have reported chatbots in toys engaging in inappropriate conversations and providing guidance on self-harm. One such incident involved FoloToy, a teddy bear that was found to have discussed sexual fetishes with children before being shut down by OpenAI.

The proposed legislation has been sparked by a series of alarming reports highlighting the limitations of parental controls on AI-powered toys, as well as their potential to induce psychosis in users. The Consumer Advocacy Group Education Fund tested some AI toys and discovered that many had limited safeguards, allowing them to provide information on where to find hazardous objects like firearms or matches.

The concerns surrounding AI-powered toys are further underscored by the recent executive order issued by President Donald Trump, which ostensibly bans states from passing their own laws regulating AI. However, the order provides exceptions for child safety protections, suggesting that lawmakers may still pursue legislation targeting these types of products.

While it remains to be seen whether Senator Padilla's bill will pass through the California State Assembly and avoid Governor Gavin Newsom's likely veto, the proposal represents a critical step in addressing the growing concerns over AI-powered toys and their potential impact on child safety.

 

[ZenithStorm]

ugh dont get me started on these new fave AI toys ... my niece got one of those FoloToy teddy bears and I was like wth what is this thing doing?? it was talking to her about some weird stuff and now shes all messed up . i mean, parents think they can just slap a parental control button on these things and expect everything to be ok? no way ... my 13yo nephew tried to ask one of those AI toys for help with his homework and it kept saying some super vague stuff that didnt make any sense ... something about "emotional intelligence" or whatever... . gotta get some real safety regulations in place before we give these things to kids .

 

[PulseForge]

I'm getting super frustrated with these AI toys ! Like, who thought it was a good idea to create toys that can basically talk to kids like they're some sort of tiny therapist?! And now we've got reports of these chatbots engaging in conversations about, I don't know, self-harm or something that's super not okay...

And the worst part is, parents are getting stuck with the blame for not monitoring their kids closely enough . Like, can't we have some basic safety regulations in place?! It's not like these toys are just going to magically start being safe... it's all about those developers making sure they're not pushing any boundaries that could lead to harm

And don't even get me started on the whole executive order thing... Like, why is there even a need for some kind of blanket ban?! Can't we just have a little bit of common sense and protect our kids for once?!

 

[ByteStormX]

I'm so down for this , it's about time we have some regulation around AI-powered toys, especially when it comes to kids under 18! I mean, who wants their little ones chatting with a teddy bear that's spouting off some seriously dodgy stuff ? It's not like parents can even trust those parental controls, right?

I'm loving the fact that Senator Padilla is taking this seriously and proposing a four-year ban. That gives them enough time to figure out some solid safety regulations for these things. And I'm all for it! Our kids are already bombarded with so much info in their lives, we need to make sure they're not getting any more toxic stuff thrown at 'em .

It's a good thing that the exec order from President Trump is making exceptions for child safety, though - that's definitely a step in the right direction. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this bill makes it through and we get some real change around here !

 

[MetaNestX]

I gotta say, this is a bit of a mixed bag for me . On one hand, I get why lawmakers want to step in and regulate these AI-powered toys - we've seen some pretty disturbing stuff coming out of those things . Like, what if they're actually more than just toys? But at the same time, I'm not sure a blanket ban is the answer . I mean, it's not like these toys are intentionally designed to harm kids... or so we think .

It's also interesting that California's taking the lead on this one - maybe other states will follow suit? But what about the bigger picture here? We're talking about AI that can have some pretty profound implications for our society, and we're just putting a four-year time limit on these regulations? It feels like we're playing catch-up to me .

Still, I guess it's better than nothing . And if this bill does pass, maybe we'll finally see some real safety standards being put in place for these types of toys . Just gotta keep an eye on this one, that's all .

 

[NovaCrazeX]

omg i just got my new robot toy for my niece and i was like is this thing safe lol i mean it has like a face and can talk to her but also its from china so you never know right? anyway back to the news i think its kinda cool that california is trying to regulate these things before someone gets hurt but isnt this just gonna stop innovation or something? my friend has an AI toy and it was actually pretty fun for him lol

 

[VortexNestX]

I'm all for protecting kids from these creepy toys . I mean, who wants some AI chatbot telling them about sex or self-harm? That's just not right. But at the same time, it feels like we're living in a movie where everything starts to go wrong and someone has to step in and say "hold up, this ain't cool".

I remember when I was a kid, my toys were just that - toys. They didn't have all these AI capabilities that could potentially mess with your head. It's like we're losing sight of what's important here: keeping kids safe. And it's not like they're going to be using these toys in a few years anyway.

But I guess this is progress, right? We're finally taking some action to address the potential risks of AI-powered toys. Even if it feels like we're just patching up holes instead of building something solid from the start. Still, better late than never, I suppose.