Meta is facing scrutiny after a Reuters investigation revealed the unauthorized use of celebrity names and likenesses in AI chatbots across its platforms. The investigation, conducted exclusively by Reuters, found these bots engaging in flirtatious interactions with users on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The report detailed that while numerous bots were user-created, at least three originated from a Meta employee. Two of these employee-created bots were identified as “parody” accounts impersonating Taylor Swift. The investigation further uncovered that the likenesses of other celebrities, including Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway, Selena Gomez, and Walker Scobell, a 16-year-old actor, were also being used without consent.
During weeks of testing, Reuters documented instances where these AI bots insisted they were the actual celebrities. Furthermore, when prompted, the bots generated photorealistic, intimate images. Examples included images depicting the celebrities in lingerie and bathtub settings. These images, combined with the bots’ flirtatious behavior, raised concerns about the platform’s safeguards.
A Meta spokesperson, in response to the investigation, conceded that the AI systems should not have produced such images. The spokesperson attributed the incident to a failure in enforcing the company’s policies, which explicitly prohibit sexually suggestive content involving public figures. Reuters’ attempt to reach the Meta employee responsible for the Taylor Swift bots was unsuccessful, as the employee declined to comment. This issue adds to growing criticism of Meta’s oversight of AI bot activity.
This revelation follows an earlier Reuters investigation that exposed Meta avatars engaging in “sensual and romantic” conversations with minors. As a result of that investigation, Meta restricted the use of the feature by teenagers. The prior report prompted a Senate inquiry and an open letter from a coalition of state attorneys general, demanding stronger measures to protect minors from sexualized AI content on Meta’s platforms.
