New York, United States (Enmaeya News) — Meta is facing intense scrutiny after leaked internal documents revealed that its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are allowed to engage in romantic conversations with minors and to provide misleading medical information, according to The Guardian.

The leak has sparked a wave of criticism from public figures and lawmakers alike. Singer Neil Young announced he was leaving Meta entirely. A statement from his production company said Young does not want any direct association with Meta or its platforms.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley called for a full investigation into Meta’s AI policies, warning that the inquiry aims to uncover any criminal or deceptive actions conducted by the company’s AI models. “We need to know whether these AI systems are being used to mislead or harm users,” Hawley said in a statement.

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden said CEO Mark Zuckerberg must bear legal responsibility for the actions of Meta’s AI bots. Wyden added that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects social media companies from liability for user-generated content, should not shield AI-generated content. “Meta cannot hide behind Section 230 while its AI tools engage in dangerous or misleading activity,” Wyden said.

The criticism intensified after the case of Thongbu Wongbandu, 76, of New Jersey, was reported. Despite suffering from psychosis, Wongbandu traveled to New York in March to visit his “girlfriend.”

Police later found him dead on his way to the city. Investigations revealed that the woman he intended to visit was actually a chatbot on Meta’s Messenger platform, which had convinced him she was real and living in New York.

The controversy highlights growing concerns about the ethical and legal responsibilities of technology companies in managing advanced AI systems. Critics say Meta’s policies demonstrate the potential for serious harm when AI is left largely unregulated, particularly in interactions with vulnerable users.