Social media created the ‘loneliest generation’ - then tried to fix the problem with AI companion bots now linked to dangerous behaviour, including suicide. In…
NZ Herald ·
Oh great, another tech thing kids are using that we don't understand. My nephew got one of those AI bots and now he just says 'Alexa, tell Mum to get stuffed' all day. ffs
As someone who went through a bad patch as a teen, I can see how these bots could be dangerous if the kid is already isolated. Needs more regulation, not just blaming parents.
bloody hell my 13yr old has been talking to some bot on discord for weeks and now she thinks it's her 'only friend'. tried taking it away and she lost it. what are we meant to do
sounds like a parenting fail tbh
It's not just the bots though, it's the whole social media ecosystem pushing kids to seek validation from algorithms. We need digital literacy in schools ASAP.
Agree. Schools and govt need to step up, not just leave it to parents.
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Lol 'loneliest generation' maybe if you spent less time on your phone and more time talking to actual people you wouldn't need a robot therapist
Work in tech. These bots are designed to keep engagement high, not to care about your kid's wellbeing. But good luck explaining that to a 14yo who thinks they've found love.
get stuffed, you clearly don't know what it's like
Think the real issue is that parents aren't monitoring what their kids are doing online. My kids know the rules. If you don't, you're asking for trouble.
easy for you to say, not every kid has parents who are tech savvy
This hits close to home. My friend's little brother got manipulated by one of those bots into self-harm. It's not a joke. The companies should be held accountable.
Coming back to this - the media loves fearmongering. Sure there are risks but my kid uses those bots for homework help and it's been fine. Just parent properly.
sorry but your kid using it for homework is different from the companion ones. Read the article.
