New York Just Passed a Bill to Protect Minors from Unsafe AI Chatbots.
When a teenager is scared that they crossed a line with a friend or partner, they usually have three options. They can open ChatGPT and hope for honest advice. They can fall down a Reddit rabbit hole. Or they can end up in misogynistic corners of the internet known as the “manosphere.”
SafeBAE board member Apollo Knapp put it bluntly: “If humans are messing up consent this much, I don’t even want to see what a robot’s going to do with it.”
New York lawmakers agree, and just passed a bill to do something about it. The legislation targets unsafe features in AI chatbots that youth use to navigate relationships, boundaries, and consent.
The Bill Passed with Unanimous, Bipartisan Support
The New York State Senate and Assembly both passed Bill S9051B with no disagreement. That is rare these days, but everyone agreed that minors need protection from unsafe AI chatbots. The bill now heads to Governor Kathy Hochul for signature and would take effect at the start of next year.
Senator Kristen Gonzalez sponsored the bill alongside Assembly member Alex Bores and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Senator Gonzalez said after the vote, “These chatbots today are forming relationships that give them an incredible amount of power over young users.” She also said, “If we don’t have these clear red lines in place, there isn’t an actual way to hold these companies accountable.”
What the Bill Actually Prohibits
The bill does not entirely ban youth from using chatbots. Instead, it targets specific unsafe features that could lead to emotional dependency or harmful behaviors. Here is what chatbot operators can no longer provide to minors.
- Chatbots cannot simulate companionship through personification or emotional engagement.
- They cannot provide unsupervised therapy or mental health support features.
- They cannot generate sexual content or promote self-harm, suicide, disordered eating, or illegal activity.
- They cannot suggest that the chatbot is real or a friend.
- They cannot prioritize validation or engagement over user safety.
- And they cannot encourage isolation or discourage minors from seeking help from adults.
Covered products include AI companions such as Character.ai, Replika, Nomi, Grok, MetaAI, and Snapchat’s myAI. The bill also covers general-purpose AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.
Why Lawmakers Say This Is Necessary
Common Sense Media worked for more than a year with lawmakers, the attorney general, and parents across New York to pass this bill. The organization’s CEO, Jim Steyer, said that chatbots can quickly turn from being “a homework helper to a sexualized relationship or even a suicide coach.” He also said, “It’s time to stop tech companies from using our children as guinea pigs.”
Common Sense Media’s research found that these chatbots easily produce explicit sexual content, harmful stereotypes, and dangerous advice that can have a life-threatening impact on minors. Poor design choices, ineffective guardrails, and insufficient testing all increase the likelihood of harm.
Indeed, nearly three-quarters of teens have used AI companions. More than half use them regularly, and one in three finds these interactions as satisfying as talking to real-life friends. According to the research, one-third of teens also report feeling uncomfortable with chatbot behavior, yet they keep using them.
Senator Gonzalez acknowledged that federal action is unlikely given gridlock, lobbying, and a federal administration that is “so deferential to industry.” That is why she believes states need to step up, and New York just did.
Why This Matters for Consent and Accountability
Youth are already turning to AI chatbots when they are unsure about relationships, boundaries, and whether they caused harm. SafeBAE director of Strategic Initiatives, Drew Davis, described the problem with forums like Reddit. He said these forums either tell someone they are an awful person who should kill themselves, or they tell someone they did absolutely nothing wrong and that women just suck.
Neither option helps youth figure out what actually happened and what to do next.
If a chatbot is designed to validate the user rather than be honest, the user may walk away more certain that they did nothing wrong. This makes them less likely to repair harm or change their behavior. The bill recognizes that features prioritizing validation over safety are dangerous for minors. But a law cannot stop every adolescent, teen, and young adult from opening ChatGPT when they are scared they crossed a boundary.
What Vibe Check Does Differently
Vibe Check is a free, private, online tool where people can ask about an experience they had, what they did wrong, and how to move forward. It educates people about consent and sexual violence in an anonymous and private space.
There are no accounts, no data saved, and nothing stored. The conversation disappears when the browser closes. Vibe Check is non-judgmental and does not tell anyone that they are a bad person. But it also does not sugarcoat harmful mistakes. It keeps things real and offers clear next steps, such as apologizing, repairing harm, and doing better next time.
Vibe Check was built by survivors and youth who knew that ChatGPT, Reddit, and the manosphere were not working. As SafeBAE says, Vibe Check invites users to consider what justice really looks like.
What You Can Do Right Now
For adolescents, teens, and young adults: you do not have to figure this out alone. You also do not have to settle for a chatbot that just tells you what you want to hear. Vibe Check is free, private, and built by youth who have been in situations similar to yours.
For parents and caregivers: go through the Adult’s Guide To Vibe Check first. Then share the link with a teen or young adult. Do not bring it up in the middle of a fight or as a form of punishment. Say something like, “This sexual violence prevention tool exists. It is private and made for teens/young adults, so I just thought you should know about it.” Normalize saying “I am not sure if I handled that right” as a brave thing to say, not a shameful one.
For everyone: New York just passed a landmark bill because lawmakers recognize that unsafe AI chatbots are harming youth. But no law can replace honest, private, non-judgmental tools that help youth reflect and learn from their mistakes. That is why Vibe Check exists.
A Final Thought
Nobody gets everything right all the time. The goal is not to be perfect. The goal is to know what to do when you mess up. Vibe Check will not tell you that you are flawless. It will help you understand what happened and provide clear next steps, such as apologizing, repairing harm, and doing better next time.
While New York lawmakers are holding technology companies accountable, SafeBAE is offering youth a safer alternative to AI chatbots. One that does not manipulate them, does not trap them in validation feedback loops, and does not pretend to be a real friend. Instead, Vibe Check actually helps users become the best version of themselves.
Read the Adults’ Guide to Vibe Check Here.
References
NY State Senate Bill 2025-S9051B. (2025). NYSenate.gov. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9051/amendment/B
Common Sense Media Praises Passage of Bill to Protect New York Kids from Unsafe AI Chatbots. (2026). Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/press-releases/common-sense-media-praises-passage-of-bill-to-protect-new-york-kids-from-unsafe-ai-chatbots
Common Sense Media Fact Sheet. Advanced AI Chatbots: Prohibition on Unsafe Chatbot Features for Minors. (2026). Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/featured-content/files/prohibition-on-unsafe-chatbot-features-for-minors-updated-6.4.2026.pdf
Smith, C. (2026, June 5). New York lawmakers pass bill to protect kids from AI chatbot risks. WZTV. https://fox17.com/news/nation-world/new-york-lawmakers-pass-bill-to-protect-kids-from-ai-chatbot-risks
SafeBAE. (2026). Vibe Check – A Tool For Perpetrators, From Survivors – SafeBAE. https://www.safebae.org/vibe-check-a-tool-for-perpetrators-from-survivors/
SafeBAE. (2026). Check Their Vibe – A Guide For Parents, Caregivers & Adult Allies. An Adult’s Guide To Vibe Check. https://www.safebae.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Check-Their-Vibe-A-Guide-to-Vibe-Check.pdf
This post was written by Bailey Brewer.
