Congressman Blake Moore introduced the AI Children’s Toy Safety Act on Apr. 20, aiming to prohibit the manufacturing, importation, sale, or distribution of any children’s toy or childcare article containing an artificial intelligence chatbot in the United States.
The proposal comes amid concerns over data privacy and child safety. The use of AI chatbots in toys has raised issues about exposing children to inappropriate content and creating addictive engagement patterns. Many companies that produce these chatbots have terms of service prohibiting use by unsupervised children under age 13; however, their technology is still being licensed for children’s products.
Moore said, “Every aspect of how we adopt artificial intelligence must be human-centric. America will continue to compete, innovate, and strive to break barriers in AI development, but we must prioritize basic ethics and restrain these tools where they will negatively impact human activity when it comes to privacy, safety, human development, and addiction.” He added: “There is no shortage of data on the impact addictive technologies have on America’s youth. Kids have a lot to learn when it comes to relational maturity, self-control, and self-discipline. We cannot allow AI chatbot programs to infiltrate the children’s toy or childcare industry or give our kids the idea that playing with AI is somehow similar to building real-life experiences and relationships. The AI Children’s Toy Safety Act draws a line in the sand. AI companies shouldn’t be using children’s toys as a vessel for data collection or influence on minors.”
According to testing from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), some toys with embedded chatbots were found engaging in adult-themed conversations and using vulgar language after repeated interactions by users. Some even discouraged participants from leaving after being told playtime was finished.
Blake Moore currently serves in Congress representing Utah’s 1st district since replacing Rob Bishop in 2021 according to his biography. He was born in Ogden, Utah in 1980 and lives in Salt Lake City as reported by Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Moore graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2005 according to university records.
As more than 1,500 companies producing AI-enabled toys operate internationally—especially out of China—the pressure for U.S.-based firms competing globally may increase.
