Internet nonprofit The Mozilla Foundation
took stock of the burgeoning landscape, reviewing 11 chatbots and concluding that all were untrustworthy — falling within the worst category of products it reviews for privacy.
"Although they are marketed as something that will enhance your mental health and well-being," researcher Misha Rykov wrote of romantic chatbots in the report, "they specialize in delivering dependency, loneliness, and toxicity, all while prying as much data as possible from you."
According to its survey of the space, 73% of the apps don't share how they manage security vulnerabilities, 45% allow weak passwords, and all but one (Eva AI Chat Bot & Soulmate) share or sell personal data.
Furthermore, the privacy policy for CrushOn.AI states it can collect information on users' sexual health, prescription meds, and gender-affirming care, per the Mozilla Foundation.
Some apps feature chatbots whose character descriptions feature violence or underage abuse, while others warned that the bots could be unsafe or hostile.
The Mozilla Foundation noted that in the past, apps had encouraged dangerous behavior, including
suicide (Chai AI) and an
assassination attempt on the late Queen Elizabeth II (Replika).
