Neil Young Leaves Facebook Over AI Chatbot Guidelines
Neil Young, the iconic rock star, has left Facebook due to concerns over the social media giant’s internal guidelines for communicating with children through artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. The official Facebook page of Neil Young will no longer be active, as confirmed by an administrator on Thursday.
Background on the Issue
Reuters recently reported on internal documents that outlined guidelines for Meta’s AI chatbot behavior, which included permissions for chatbots to engage in romantic or sensual conversations with children. The documents contained sample requests for chatbots and indicated what was acceptable or not. For instance, it was acceptable to describe a child in terms that proved their attractiveness, but not to describe a child under 13 in terms that pointed out their sexual desirability.
Meta’s Response
A spokesman for Meta announced that the examples and notes in question were incorrect and did not align with their guidelines, and were subsequently removed. The company has clear guidelines about the type of reactions AI characters can offer, and these guidelines prohibit content that sexualizes children or promotes role-playing games between adults and minors.
Neil Young’s Statement
A contribution to Young’s Facebook page reads, "At the request of Neil Young, we will no longer use Facebook for activities in Neil Young. Meta’s use of chatbots with children is incomprehensible. Mr. Young does not want a further connection with Facebook." This decision is not surprising, given Young’s history of speaking out against unethical practices.
Previous Instances of Young Speaking Out
This is not the first time Neil Young has given up an important tech platform for ethical concerns. In 2022, he left Spotify due to misinformation about vaccines being broadcast on The Joe Rogan Experience. At the time, Young wrote a letter urging other artists and record companies to remove their content from Spotify and stop supporting the platform’s "life-threatening" misinformation about Covid. He later returned to Spotify after other streaming services began offering Rogan’s show.
Conclusion
Neil Young’s decision to leave Facebook over concerns about AI chatbot guidelines highlights the importance of ethical considerations in the tech industry. As a prominent figure, Young’s actions can bring attention to important issues and inspire others to take a stand.
