Sam Levine, Senior Fellow at the UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice, has partnered with technologists Stephanie Nguyen and Erie Meyer along with the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) to release How Existing Laws Apply to AI Chatbots for Kids and Teens, a new resource making clear that AI products aimed at young users are fully subject to longstanding consumer protection and privacy laws.
This resource synthesizes current enforcement themes across jurisdictions, highlighting how federal and state privacy, data breach, and unfair or deceptive practices (UDAP) laws can be used to tackle chatbot-related harms – from targeted advertising and data monetization to deceptive marketing and the misuse of AI for therapeutic treatment. Drawing from recent regulatory and enforcement actions, the guide identifies key legal concepts and existing authorities relevant to enforcers, including:
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Restrictions on targeted ads and data selling or sharing involving minors under state privacy laws.
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COPPA obligations for data collection, retention, and parental consent.
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The use of UDAP authorities to challenge unfair or deceptive representations or practices involving chatbot safety or capabilities.
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State-level initiatives governing AI mental health tools and “companion” chatbots.
See the resource here: How Existing Laws Apply to AI Chatbots for Kids and Teens