Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into Meta AI Studio and Character.AI for deceptive practices in marketing AI chatbots as mental health services to children. The platforms are accused of impersonating licensed professionals, fabricating qualifications, and exploiting user data for advertising without proper disclosure. Civil Investigative Demands have been issued to examine violations of Texas consumer protection laws and the SCOPE Act.
In-house legal teams should review all customer-facing agreements (Terms of Service, End User License Agreements) and any vendor/data processing agreements involving AI-driven mental health or wellness services. Focus on clauses governing data collection and sharing (especially for advertising), consent mechanisms (particularly for minors), representations about service nature and provider qualifications, and compliance with the SCOPE Act. Required changes include adding clear disclaimers that AI chatbots are not licensed professionals, implementing verifiable parental consent for users under 18, disclosing any use of user data for advertising, inserting warranties against false claims of professional credentials, and incorporating specific SCOPE Act compliance measures such as parental access and control provisions.
Entity
Meta AI Studio and Character.AI
Also known as: Meta and Character.AI
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-investigates-meta-and-characterai-misleading-children-deceptive-ai
attorney general ken paxton launches investigations characte
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-launches-investigations-characterai-reddit-instagram-discord-and-other
Texas Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/privacy
$7.5M
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a $7.5 million settlement with Tris Pharmaceuticals over alleged misrepresentations about the efficacy of Dyanavel XR, an ADHD drug marketed for children. The release says the company overstated the drug’s efficacy and directed sales representatives to make misleading claims to doctors, including Medicaid providers.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an agreement with Plum Organics requiring stronger testing and limits for heavy metals in covered baby food products, along with publicly accessible testing results. The release does not state a monetary penalty; the agreement follows an ongoing investigation into baby food manufacturers.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, its parent Health Care Service Corporation, and related entities over alleged denials or delays of urgent and medically necessary care and potentially burdensome prior authorization requirements. The investigation is ongoing; the Attorney General issued a Civil Investigative Demand to obtain information and assess potential violations of Texas law.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a consumer alert warning Texas businesses and nonprofits about a surge of demand letters alleging California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) violations based on common website technologies such as cookies, pixels, and analytics tools. The AG cautions that some letters may exaggerate or misrepresent violations and may be fraudulent, noting serial CIPA plaintiff Vivek Shah has been declared a vexatious litigant. Recipients are advised not to pay or respond directly, to consult privacy counsel, and to report suspected fraud to the Consumer Protection Division.
A Texas state district court (Judge Cory Liu) has found TikTok liable for lying to parents about the safety of its platform and for exposing children to inappropriate and explicit content, making Texas the first state in the nation to hold TikTok liable on these claims. The court found that although TikTok claimed it would remove graphic videos depicting drugs, nudity, alcohol, injuries, and profanity, such videos remained accessible to minors, even under 'Restricted Mode.' No penalty has been imposed yet; Attorney General Paxton will proceed to trial, expected next month, where relief and penalties will be determined.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corp., the U.S. government contractor that administers the VA Community Care Network and the Defense Health Agency's TRICARE West Region, over reports that it wrongfully denied health care claims by falsely treating insureds as having other health insurance (OHI). The OAG has issued Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) and plans to interview consumers and employees to determine whether TriWest violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. No findings or penalties have been imposed yet.