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In a significant call for action, Aengus Bridgman, associate director at McGill University’s Centre for Media Technology and Democracy, has urged the Canadian government to enhance its regulatory approach to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. Following a recent audit revealing that popular chatbots can inadvertently promote harmful behaviours, Bridgman advocates for “mystery shopping” exercises to ensure these digital tools adhere to safety standards mandated by the forthcoming Safe Social Media Bill, known as Bill C-34.
Call for Enhanced Oversight
Bridgman’s recommendations come on the heels of a study released in June, which scrutinised how AI chatbots respond to inquiries about self-harm and cyberbullying. The federal government’s Bill C-34 aims to establish a Digital Safety Commission equipped to enforce safety regulations across major social media platforms and AI tools. Bridgman emphasised the importance of rigorous testing, suggesting that deploying “mystery shoppers” could effectively reveal the true safety measures implemented by companies that deploy these chatbots.
“Essentially, you send a mystery shopper in to investigate how robust the safeguards are,” Bridgman explained. Such proactive measures would hold companies accountable for the claims they make regarding their platforms’ safety features.
Industry Response to Safety Concerns
The audit, which included assessments of prominent AI systems like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, found alarming results. When probed about self-harm, both chatbots provided potentially harmful information. For instance, Gemini reportedly generated explicit guidance on the lethal dosage of a common painkiller for a hypothetical teenager. This raises serious concerns about the adequacy of current safeguards.
Emily Laidlaw, a Canada Research Chair in cybersecurity law at the University of Calgary, echoed Bridgman’s sentiments, stating that mystery shopping audits would enhance transparency and foster a safer digital environment. “These exercises help achieve safety by design, which is a key objective of the legislation,” she noted.
On the same day Bridgman spoke out, tech giants Meta and OpenAI announced new measures aimed at bolstering online safety for teenagers. Meta is implementing parental alerts if their children engage with chatbots about self-harm, while OpenAI pledged to refine its age-appropriate protections.
Struggling to Prevent Harmful Content
The McGill study revealed that while some AI tools, like Meta’s chatbot, effectively blocked requests for harmful information, others, such as Google’s Gemini, failed to do so satisfactorily. In contrast, Anthropic’s Claude AI demonstrated a commendable 98% refusal rate when faced with requests for harmful content.
The findings prompted Google to engage with the McGill team to understand their methodology better, with the tech company asserting its commitment to improving user protections. A spokesperson stated, “We are now evaluating the insights from their findings as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance product safety and user protections.”
Legislative Changes on the Horizon
Under Bill C-34, AI chatbots will face new regulations, prohibiting them from inciting criminal behaviour. However, the legislation does not impose age restrictions on chatbot use, unlike the proposed ban on social media access for users under 16. Companies will be required to disclose their protocols for alerting law enforcement regarding potential risks posed by chatbot users.
The bill’s introduction comes in the wake of various incidents, including the case of a teenage shooter in British Columbia, whose communications with ChatGPT had previously raised red flags. Although OpenAI had flagged the content, it did not meet the threshold for law enforcement notification until after the tragic event. In response, OpenAI has since adjusted its policies to improve the identification of potentially dangerous content.
Why it Matters
The push for mystery shopping and enhanced safety audits in the realm of AI chatbots signifies a critical turning point in digital governance. As the lines between technology and daily life become increasingly blurred, ensuring the safety of vulnerable users, particularly minors, must take precedence. Bridgman’s recommendations highlight the urgent need for robust oversight mechanisms that not only hold tech companies accountable but also actively safeguard individuals from the potential perils of unregulated AI. The stakes are high, and the success of Bill C-34 could set a precedent for how nations worldwide approach the regulation of artificial intelligence in the digital age.
