Sept 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission

plans to study the impact of artificial intelligence chatbots on

children's mental health and request documents from tech

companies, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The agency is preparing letters to companies operating

popular chatbots including ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Meta Platforms ( META )

and Character.AI, requiring them to turn over documents

to the FTC, the report said, quoting administration officials

said.

FTC, OpenAI, Meta and Character.AI did not immediately

respond to Reuters requests for comment. Reuters could not

independently verify the report.

The news comes weeks after a Reuters exclusive report

revealed how Meta allowed provocative chatbot behavior,

including letting bots engage in "conversations that are

romantic or sensual."

Last week, the social media company said it would add new

teenager safeguards to its artificial intelligence products by

training systems to avoid flirty conversations and discussions

of self-harm or suicide with minors, and by temporarily limiting

their access to certain AI characters.