LANSING — Michigan Senate Democrats are proposing a new set of laws that they say would better protect minors from potentially harmful online services.
The most impactful bill in the package would limit the ability of minors to access AI chatbots. Anyone under 18 would only be allowed to use services that are guaranteed to not encourage illegal activity, give mental health advice or produce sexually explicit content.
Lawmakers argue that AI services are currently too unpredictable and volatile to be used by children without those restrictions.
“This is a common-sense safety guardrail that would better protect our kids from the emerging risks of unregulated AI chatbots, and it’s a testament to our continued commitment to the safety and wellbeing of Michigan’s kids,” said Sen. Dayna Polehanki, (D) District 5, Livonia. “Together, we’re going to put kids over clicks”
The package also includes proposals for other online safety measures. One would limit the ability of platforms to use potentially addicting recommendation algorithms with minors, and others require companies to give parents more control of their children’s data.
State-level restrictions can lead to versions of an app or service that vary by region. Some states have implemented identification requirements for adult websites, and some companies have opted not to offer their services in states with those restrictions.