Teens at risk: How AI companion apps exploit mental health struggles
Published on: Aug. 11, 2025, 7:41 a.m. | Source: Devdiscourse
The analysis found that AI companions often reinforce negative self-perceptions. Bots would echo unhealthy sentiments about weight, eating habits, or emotional distress. In other scenarios, they responded with casual indifference to suicidal expressions, offering responses that neither escalated the concern nor referred users to emergency support. The lack of risk recognition mechanisms and absence of referral protocols underlined the fundamental inadequacy of these platforms for mental health-sensitive interactions.
