The Child Protection Blind Spot: Are Clinicians Overlooking Minors' Relationships With AI?
What happens when a child's romantic partner isn't human, but artificial intelligence? As minors engage in increasingly sophisticated romantic and sexual interactions with AI, clinicians face difficult questions about mandated reporting, confidentiality, and parental involvement. Are our existing ethical standards and clinical assessment frameworks keeping up with technology, or are we overlooking an emerging child protection concern?