Its Valentines Day and digital romances are blossoming.
Across the world, lonely hearts are opening up to virtual lovers.
But their secrets arent as safe as they may seem.
According to a new analysis by Mozilla, AI girlfriends harvest reams of private and intimate data.
This information can then be shared with marketers, advertisers, anddatabrokers.
Its also vulnerable to leaks.
Using AI, the chatbots simulate interactions with virtual girlfriends, soulmates, or friends.
To produce these conversations, the systems ingest oodles of personal data.
Often, that information is extremely sensitive and explicit.
Mozilla described the safeguards as inadequate.
Ten of the 11 chatbots failed to meet the companys minimum security standards, such as requiring strong passwords.
Replika, for instance, records all the text, photos, and videos posted by users.
According to Mozilla, the app definitely shared and possibly sold behavioural data to advertisers.
Because users can create accounts with weak passwords, such as 11111111, theyre also highly vulnerable to hacking.
AI girlfriends are concealing secrets
Trackers are widespread on romantic chatbots.
On theRomantic AI app, the researchers found at least 24,354 trackers within just a minute of use.
These trackers can send data to advertisers without explicit consent from users.
Mozilla suspects they could be breaching GDPR.
The researchers found little public information about the data harvesting.
Privacy policies were scant.
Some of the chatbots didnt even have a website.
User control was also negligible.
Chatbots are seductive
AI girlfriends can be dangerously persuasive.
Theyve been blamed fordeaths by suicideand even an attempt toassassinate Queen Elizabeth II.
Despite these risks, the apps are often promotedas mental health and well-being platforms.
But their privacy policies make contrasting claims.
Mozilla is calling for further safeguards.
Ideally, the researchers would like the chatbots to run on the data-minimisation principle.
Under this approach, the apps would only collect whats necessary for the products functionality.
They would also support the right to delete personal information.
For now, Rykov advises users to proceed with extreme caution.
Youve lost control over it.
Oneof the themes of this years TNW Conference is Ren-AI-ssance: The AI-Powered Rebirth.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
