The National News Desk, September 2025
The federal government will soon start investigating the impact artificial intelligence chatbots and other products have on children’s mental health and how tech companies are responding to the risks their platforms are creating. The Wall Street Journal reported the Federal Trade Commission will start studying the impact of AI chatbots on children’s mental health and start seeking documents from leading developers of the technology. It would be the first move for the consumer protection agency to start preparing for further rules or actions on AI chatbots.
Momentum on regulating AI through legislation in Congress has stalled out with other priorities taking precedent and disagreement about whether it will hurt the industry’s progress. The Trump administration has made keeping America’s position as a leader in AI a priority with promises to fast-track the construction of sprawling data centers and promoting its exports around the world. But it is also weighing how to protect children on the platforms after a recent series of troublesome incidents involving chatbots and other AI products.
First lady Melania Trump has made child online safety her signature issue both times the president has been in office. She held a meeting focused on safety in using AI in education with tech leaders at the White House on Thursday and helped gather support for a bill banning deepfake images earlier this year.
