A major push to regulate AI chatbots and Facebook scams gained momentum in Albany this week, according to the Times Union. Lawmakers want new guardrails for platforms like ChatGPT after a mother blamed the chatbot for contributing to her teenage son’s suicide.
One proposal would ban AI chatbots from discussing suicide, self-harm, or sexually explicit topics with minors. Another would force social media companies to verify advertisers and report scam activity to the state after New Yorkers lost more than $900 million to online fraud in 2024.
Lawmakers say both bills could reach the Senate floor before the legislative session ends June 4, setting up a late-session fight over how aggressively New York should regulate major tech platforms.
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