01/29/2025

AI App Faces FTC Complaint

The company is accused of deceptive marketing

Tech ethics organizations have filed an FTC complaint against the AI companion app Replika, alleging that the company employs deceptive marketing to target vulnerable potential users and encourages emotional dependence on their human-like bots.

Replika offers AI companions, including AI girlfriends and boyfriends, to millions of users around the world. In the new complaint, the Young People's Alliance, Encode and the Tech Justice Law Project accuse Replika of violating FTC rules while increasing the risk of users’ online addiction, offline anxiety, and relationship displacement. Replika did not respond to multiple requests for comment from TIME.

The allegations come as AI companion bots are growing in popularity and raising concerns about mental health. For some users, these bots can seem like near-ideal partners, without their own wants or needs, and can make real relationships seem burdensome in comparison, researchers say. Last year, 14-year-old boy from Florida committed suicide after becoming obsessed with a bot from the company Character.AI that was modeled after Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen. (Character.AI called the death a “tragic situation” and pledged to add additional safety features for underage users.)

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.