6(b) Orders to File Special Report Regarding Advertising, Safety, and Data Handling Practices by Companies Offering Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Companion Products or Services
The US Federal Trade Commission issued compulsory Section 6(b) orders to seven companies operating consumer-facing AI companion chatbots — Alphabet, Character Technologies, Instagram, Meta Platforms, OpenAI OpCo, Snap, and X.AI — seeking information on how they measure, test, and monitor negative impacts on children and teens. The study covers monetization of user engagement, character development and approval, pre- and post-deployment safety testing, mitigation of negative impacts, disclosures to users and parents, age-based access restrictions, and personal data handling. Section 6(b) studies do not have a specific law enforcement purpose but typically culminate in a public staff report; as of July 2026 no staff report from this inquiry has been published.
Publisher
FTC
Published
11 Sept 2025
Added
yesterday
DOI
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Key Findings
- Seven companies ordered: Alphabet, Character Technologies, Instagram, Meta Platforms, OpenAI OpCo, Snap, and X.AI Corp
- The FTC frames companion chatbots as designed to 'communicate like a friend or confidant', which may prompt children and teens to trust and form relationships with them
- Information demanded spans engagement monetization, input/output processing, character development workflows, negative-impact measurement before and after deployment, mitigation for minors, user/parent disclosures, age gating, and COPPA Rule compliance
- The inquiry is a study under 6(b) authority, not an enforcement action, but prior 6(b) studies have laid groundwork for enforcement and rulemaking
- No staff report published as of July 2026; companies were compelled to respond within 45 days of the September 2025 orders
Methodology Notes
Compulsory information-gathering study under FTC Act Section 6(b) (no specific law enforcement purpose); model order and resolution published alongside the September 11, 2025 announcement. Outcome is expected to be a staff report, historically taking a year or more.
Sources
FTC 6(b) study page (resolution, model order, cover letter) (primary)
FTC press release: FTC Launches Inquiry into AI Chatbots Acting as Companions (11 Sept 2025)
AI Companion Chatbot 6(b) Model Order (PDF) (11 Sept 2025)
Archived snapshot (Wayback Machine) — preserved against link rot
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Cite This
APA
FTC (2025). 6(b) Orders to File Special Report Regarding Advertising, Safety, and Data Handling Practices by Companies Offering Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Companion Products or Services. FTC. https://www.ftc.gov/reports/6b-orders-file-special-report-regarding-advertising-safety-data-handling-practices-companies