You’ve probably typed a message to an AI chatbot at some point, but as free AI chat tools become more common, the convenience has come with trade-offs: safety, privacy, and legality concerns. From age restrictions to data privacy, here’s what you need to know to chat with confidence.
Australian regulator: Avoid personal info in public AI chatbots · Canadian privacy commissioner: Consent required for AI data collection · Stanford HAI: Opt out of AI training data use
Quick snapshot
- AI chatbots are legal to use for general purposes (OAIC (Australian privacy regulator))
- Character.AI changed its age policy in 2024 to require 18+ (Mozilla Foundation (digital rights non-profit))
- Free AI chat platforms exist with limited features (Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner)
- Whether sexting with a chatbot is illegal in all jurisdictions
- Exact number of users lost after Character.AI’s age change
- Long-term privacy implications of sharing personal data with AI chatbots
- Regulatory pressure on AI chatbots is increasing globally (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada)
- Character.AI updated age policy in early 2024 after regulatory scrutiny (Mozilla Foundation)
- Expect more age verification and privacy controls on AI platforms (Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner)
Four key regulatory recommendations, one pattern: authorities across different countries are converging on the same core advice — treat AI chatbots as public spaces and limit what you share.
| Regulator / body | Key guidance |
|---|---|
| Australian OAIC (privacy authority) | Best practice not to enter personal information into public AI chatbots |
| Canadian Office of the Privacy Commissioner | Legal authority required for collection of personal information via AI |
| Stanford HAI (academic research centre) | Consumers should think twice before sharing info with AI chatbots |
| Mozilla Foundation (digital rights non-profit) | Use accountless versions when possible |
| Mozilla Foundation | Avoid “Sign in with” third-party accounts |
| Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner (data protection authority) | Read privacy policies before using AI chatbots |
| Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner |
Related stories Jonathan MacDonaldStaff Writer Jonathan MacDonald is Editor-in-Chief at Civic Maple, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections. |
