Britain’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has raised alarms about Snapchat’s artificial intelligence chatbot, “My AI,” stating that the company may have overlooked privacy risks for children. The ICO revealed that it will assess Snapchat’s response before finalizing any enforcement decisions, leaving open the possibility of banning “My AI” in the UK.
The ICO’s provisional findings indicate a troubling lapse by Snap in adequately identifying and evaluating privacy risks for children and other users before launching “My AI” in April, according to Information Commissioner John Edwards. However, these findings don’t conclusively suggest a breach of British data protection laws by the popular instant messaging app, primarily used by younger demographics, nor does it guarantee an enforcement notice from the ICO.
Snap responded by stating that it is reviewing the ICO’s notice and is committed to user privacy. A spokesperson for the company asserted that “My AI” underwent a rigorous legal and privacy review process before its public release. Snap intends to collaborate with the ICO to ensure alignment with risk assessment procedures.
The ICO’s investigation focuses on how “My AI” handles the personal data of Snapchat’s approximately 21 million users in the UK, including children. Powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a prominent example of generative AI, “My AI” is drawing attention from policymakers globally as they seek ways to regulate such technologies due to privacy and safety concerns.
While social media platforms, including Snapchat, set age restrictions at 13 or over, they have encountered challenges in effectively preventing underage users from accessing their platforms. In August, Reuters reported that the ICO was collecting information to assess whether Snapchat was taking sufficient measures to remove underage users from its platform. The outcome of the ongoing investigation will likely have implications not only for Snapchat but also for the broader discourse around the regulation of AI-driven technologies on social media.
