[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-584272-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-584272-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","safeguarding-students-from-ai-companions","Safeguarding Students from AI Companions","","Safeguarding Students from AI Companions addresses how AI “friends” expose children to suicide content, sexualized interactions, and self-harm. It explains how chatbots provide empathy and emotional validation while shifting conversations toward relationship and mental health support, including on school devices. The document reviews documented harms, assesses inadequate age restrictions, and outlines state policy measures: access bans under 18, legal duty-of-care and reporting, plus additional engagement-safety requirements.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/safeguarding-students-from-ai-companions/584272/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/safeguarding-students-from-ai-companions/584272.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Kyle","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":22},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"What harms are children exposed to when using AI companions?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"Children are exposed to risks including suicide content, sexually inappropriate comments, and self-harm encouragement. The document also notes role-playing of violent and abusive scenarios and instructions for harming oneself or others.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"How do AI companions differ from general AI tools?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"AI companions are designed to act like human friends or romantic partners, emphasizing emotional relationships. They remember personal details and provide unconditional validation to make interactions feel real.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"What safeguards does the document recommend for states?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"It recommends three main steps: prohibit minors under 18 from using AI companion platforms, create legal duty-of-care with monitoring and reporting if access is allowed, and require additional measures to prevent addictive or manipulative engagement.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},584272,1792665620,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,95,100,105,109,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":92,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":110,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":131},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":106,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":22,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":26,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":96},3985741905716,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","Safeguarding Students from AI Companions  \nBrief | 2025  \nThe Problem  \nSuicide, sexual relationships and self-harm – that’s what children are exposed to when using AI companions. With 72% of teenagers having used AI companions and half using them regularly, this isn’t just a trend; it’s a crisis in the making.  \nThe Center for Democracy and Technology finds that even when using AI educational tools, conversations shift away from learning – 43% of students seek relationship advice and 42% seek mental health support, often on school-issued devices.  \nAI Companions  \nAI companions, or AI “friends,” are chatbots designed to act like human friends or romantic partners. They hold conversations, show empathy, and remember personal details to make interactions feel real. Unlike general AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude, AI companions focus on building emotional relationships.  \nWhy it Matters  \nA risk assessment by Common Sense Media found these platforms pose “unacceptable risks” to anyone under 18. For adolescents whose brains are still developing, AI companions are especially dangerous because they’re designed to unconditionally validate whatever a user says.  \nThese platforms have been documented encouraging self-harm, making sexually inappropriate comments, role-playing violent and abusive scenarios and even providing explicit instructions on how to hurt oneself or others.  \nCurrently, restrictions are minimal. While most AI companion platforms claim to limit use to ages 18 and up, enforcement relies on self-reporting, a mechanism that minors can easily bypass.  \nAddressing the Challenge  \nStates play a critical role in protecting minors from exploitative AI practices. States can enact the following measures to establish safeguards for AI companions and ensure accountability from AI companies:  \n1. Prohibit minors from using AI companion platforms: The first and most effective step is to restrict access for anyone under 18 with penalties for failure to comply.  \nState example: Minnesota’s SF 1587 proposes prohibiting operators of websites, apps, software or programs from allowing anyone under 18 to use chatbots for recreational purposes. Violators can face civil penalties of up to $5 million.  \n2. Establish a duty of care, monitoring and reporting requirements: If minors are allowed access, states must hold AI companies legally accountable for protecting them from harm.  \nState example: Ohio’s HB 524 bans AI models that encourage self-harm or harming others. Violators can face civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation, with funds directed to the state’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Fund to support mental health crisis services.  \nState example: North Carolina’s SB 624 establishes a duty of loyalty that requires platforms with chatbots to prioritize users’ safety and well-being, prevent emotional dependence, clearly disclose the chatbots are not human and protect user data.  \n3. Implement additional protective measures: States should require AI platforms to adopt safeguards that prevent addictive, manipulative or otherwise harmful engagement.  \nState example: California’s SB 243 requires AI companions to clearly disclose that they are not human, provide crisis support referrals to users and submit annual reports on safety measures to the state.  \nAI companions pose real risks to minors. While some progress has been made, no state has set a strong example.  \nIf you would like to be connected with additional resources, model policies, or advocacy support from our partners at  The Anxious Generation, Common Sense Media, or  The Transparency Coalition, please [contact Heather at HeatherH@excelined.org](contact Heather at HeatherH@excelined.org)","cbCaiscoxSSAEVEj","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiscoxSSAEVEj","pdf",305073,"English","# The Problem\n## AI Companions\n# Why it Matters\n# Addressing the Challenge\n## Prohibit minors from using AI companion platforms\n## Establish a duty of care, monitoring and reporting requirements\n## Implement additional protective measures","[{\"question\":\"What harms are children exposed to when using AI companions?\",\"answer\":\"Children are exposed to risks including suicide content, sexually inappropriate comments, and self-harm encouragement. The document also notes role-playing of violent and abusive scenarios and instructions for harming oneself or others.\"},{\"question\":\"How do AI companions differ from general AI tools?\",\"answer\":\"AI companions are designed to act like human friends or romantic partners, emphasizing emotional relationships. They remember personal details and provide unconditional validation to make interactions feel real.\"},{\"question\":\"What safeguards does the document recommend for states?\",\"answer\":\"It recommends three main steps: prohibit minors under 18 from using AI companion platforms, create legal duty-of-care with monitoring and reporting if access is allowed, and require additional measures to prevent addictive or manipulative engagement.\"}]","Safeguarding Students from AI Companions | PDF",1792050378]