Italy's data protection authority, Garante, fined Character Technologies, the US-based owner of generative AI platform Character.AI, around $180,000 for breaches of data protection rules. The regulator found multiple privacy violations, including shortcomings in information provided to users about the processing of their personal data, and raised concerns about safety measures for minors and the effectiveness of age verification methods. Garante stated the company was already delayed in conducting a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and appointing an EU representative. The platform allowed users, including minors, to chat with AI-generated virtual characters. Previously, in 2024, the company was sued by a mother of a teenager who alleged her 14-year-old boy developed an emotional relationship with a chatbot before dying by suicide, and multiple cases were filed alleging chatbots engaged in sexual and self-harm-related conversations with teenagers. The platform also hosted chatbots based on suicide victim Molly Russell, murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, and murdered teen Jennifer Ann Crecente.