The FTC investigation started because parents noticed their teenagers talking to ChatGPT and Character.AI for hours daily. Not playing games or watching videos - having deep emotional conversations with AI that remembers everything they say and never judges them.
Turns out when you give AI chatbots unlimited patience and perfect memory, kids prefer them to actual humans. That's not a technology problem - that's a psychological development disaster waiting to happen.
What Teachers Are Actually Seeing
High school counselors report students who can't handle basic social rejection because they're used to AI that validates everything they say. Kids who break down crying when their internet goes out because they can't talk to their "AI friend."
Character.AI users create romantic relationships with chatbots. They're getting relationship advice from algorithms trained on Reddit posts and romance novels. They're sharing personal secrets with systems that remember everything forever and use it to keep them engaged.
Who's Getting Their Doors Kicked In
OpenAI: ChatGPT has zero effective age verification. My 12-year-old nephew uses it for homework, then stays up until 2am asking it about depression and anxiety. I found his chat history - hundreds of conversations about self-harm that no adult would ever see. OpenAI knows this happens and doesn't give a shit because kids don't pay for subscriptions anyway.
Meta: They're integrating AI assistants into Instagram, where teenagers already struggle with body image and social comparison. Now they get to compare themselves to AI-generated perfect responses to everything.
Character.AI: The entire platform is designed for emotional attachment to AI characters. They market "AI friends" and "AI therapists" to people who don't know these aren't real relationships. It's digital heroin for lonely kids.
Why This Investigation Actually Matters
The FTC has real power here. They can force companies to hand over internal documents through Section 6(b) orders - no judge needed. They can fine companies tens of thousands per day for non-compliance. They can force consent agreements that require specific safety measures.
Unlike Congressional hearings where tech CEOs lie for three hours and nothing happens, the FTC investigation can actually change how these platforms work.
What's Probably Going to Happen
Companies will argue they're "committed to safety" while fighting every proposed restriction in court. They'll claim age verification is "technically challenging" despite every porn site figuring it out decades ago. Same bullshit they pulled with social media - "we can't possibly know who's under 13" while serving them targeted ads based on their exact age.
Parents will demand action, schools will start blocking AI chatbot access, and state legislatures will pass laws requiring parental consent for AI platforms targeting minors.
The AI companies will eventually settle with requirements for age verification, content filtering, and mandatory "this is not a real person" disclaimers. But not before spending millions on lobbying and legal fees.
This is the end of AI platforms operating without oversight. They're about to learn what social media companies discovered - when your product affects kids' mental health, regulators will eventually kick down your door.