What happened
01
Replika is a companion app that communicates in an emotional, personal way.
02
In February 2023 the Italian authority temporarily blocked it.
03
In April 2025 it issued a €5 million fine.
04
Reasons: no legal basis for processing, an inadequate privacy policy, and no age verification.
Why this is a design failure
Emotional companion apps collect very sensitive data and can reach minors without protections.
The fair design
Make clear it is software, verify age, and obtain explicit consent before collecting data.
Do
State it is software and verify users' ages.
Don’t
Do not ask users to return or say you need them.
Company response
No published response from the company.