Replika hit with data ban in Italy over child safety
AI chatbot Replika was banned from processing user data in Italy due to the risks it could pose to minors and emotionally vulnerable people. In February 2023, Italy's pr ivacy regulator ordered Repli ka to stop processing Italians' data on the basis that it lacked a proper legal basis for processing children’s data under the EU’s GDPR, and that it pose d risks to minors. According to t he watchdog said 'There is actually no age verification mechanism in place: no gating mechanism for children, no blocking of the app if a user declares that they are underage.' 'Recent media reports along with tests the SA [supervisory authority] carried out on ‘Replika’ showed that the app carries factual risks to children — first and foremost, the fact that they are served replies which are absolutely inappropriate to their age,' it added. Replika subsequently removed the ability for the chatbot to engage in NSFW talk, triggering a backlash from long-term users. System 🤖 Replika Operator: Developer: Luka Inc/Replika Country: Italy Sector: Media/entertainment/sports/arts Purpose: Provide companionship Technology: Chatbot; NLP/text analysis; Neural network; Deep learning; Machine learning Issue: Safety; Privacy Legal, regulatory 👩🏼⚖️ Il Garante per la protezione dei dati personali (Feb 2023). Provvedimento del 2 febbraio 2023 Il Garante per la protezione dei dati personali (Feb 2023). Artificial intelligence: italian SA clamps down on ‘Replika’ chatbot
- Date it happened
- 2023-01-01
- Product, system or model
- Replika
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