Where automated decisions went wrong

Facial recognition cameras arrive in UK school canteens

Facial recognition cameras have been introduced in UK school canteens. The Financial Times reports on this development.

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Spanish Supreme Court orders release of BOSCO algorithm code for social electricity bonus

The Spanish NGO Civio won a Supreme Court case forcing the government to release the source code of BOSCO, the algorithm that decides eligibility for the social electricity bonus (bono social eléctrico). Civio had demonstrated in 2019 that BOSCO contained serious errors that denied the benefit to vulnerable people who met the requirements. The government had refused to disclose the code, citing intellectual property. The Supreme Court ruled that transparency must prevail, setting a precedent for public access to automated decision-making systems.

Company involved

Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica (Gobierno de España)

AI system involved

BOSCO

10 source articles · read the reporting →

South Korea's AI textbook program rolled back after complaints

South Korea's Ministry of Education launched AI-powered digital textbooks in March 2025 for math, English, and computer science. Students, teachers, and parents complained about technical problems, inaccuracies, and data privacy risks. After four months, the textbooks were stripped of official status and made optional. The program was criticized for being rushed and insufficiently tested.

Company involved

South Korean Ministry of Education

AI system involved

AI-powered textbooks

7 source articles · read the reporting →

New York City Department of Education blocks ChatGPT on school devices

The New York City Department of Education blocked access to the AI chatbot ChatGPT on school devices and networks, citing concerns about negative impacts on student learning and the safety and accuracy of content. The ban applies to all students and teachers on education department devices and internet networks. Individual schools can still request access for studying the technology. The move is the nation's largest school system's response to the arrival of ChatGPT.

Company involved

New York City Department of Education

AI system involved

ChatGPT

9 source articles · read the reporting →

UIUC students petition to stop Proctorio exam proctoring over privacy concerns

A petition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) alleges that Proctorio, an online exam proctoring system, violates student privacy by accessing websites, downloads, screen content, and app settings. The petition claims the terms of service allow monitoring by 'any other means necessary', which students find unsettling. The petition, created on September 30, 2020, gathered 1,087 supporters but does not report any specific incident of harm. It calls on UIUC to discontinue use of Proctorio in favour of alternatives.

Company involved

UIUC

AI system involved

Proctorio

9 source articles · read the reporting →

Beverly Hills middle school students used AI to generate nude images of classmates

Students at Beverly Vista Middle School in Beverly Hills, California, allegedly used AI to generate nude images by superimposing classmates' faces onto artificially generated naked bodies. The school district launched an investigation and warned that students responsible face expulsion. A student told NBC4 that peers were scared explicit photos would be shown. The school is working with police.

Company involved

Beverly Hills Unified School District

8 source articles · read the reporting →

University of Michigan halts vendor offering student data for AI training

The University of Michigan asked a vendor to stop work after a LinkedIn message offered to license student data for AI training for $25,000. The data came from past research studies and did not contain personal identifiers. The university stated that student data was never for sale and that the vendor had shared inaccurate information. The vendor was asked to halt their work.

Company involved

University of Michigan

5 source articles · read the reporting →

ChatGPT use linked to memory loss and procrastination in students

A study published in the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education surveyed hundreds of university students in Pakistan and found that those who relied more on ChatGPT reported increased procrastination, memory loss, and lower GPAs. The researchers attribute this to the chatbot making schoolwork too easy, reducing students' cognitive effort. The study's lead author warned of a "dark side" to excessive generative AI usage.

Company involved

National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences

AI system involved

ChatGPT

4 source articles · read the reporting →

Baltimore schools monitor student laptops for suicide signs using GoGuardian Beacon

Baltimore City Public Schools uses GoGuardian Beacon software to monitor student laptops for signs of suicide. Since March 2021, the system has flagged 786 alerts, with nine students taken to emergency rooms. Privacy advocates warn the monitoring could lead to disciplinary actions, outing of LGBTQ students, and disproportionately affect disadvantaged students. School officials defend the practice as a safeguard.

Company involved

Baltimore City Public Schools

AI system involved

GoGuardian Beacon

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Duke University recorded students' faces without proper consent for public dataset

In March 2014, Duke University researchers recorded thousands of students walking to class on campus without their knowledge or proper consent, creating the DukeMTMC dataset of over 2 million image frames. The dataset was placed on a public website and downloaded by academics, security contractors, and military researchers globally, including Chinese companies and military academies linked to surveillance of ethnic minorities. The university took down the public website in April 2019 after an Institutional Review Board investigation found the study deviated significantly from the approved protocol. The lead researcher apologized, stating he took full responsibility for his mistakes.

Company involved

Duke University

AI system involved

DukeMTMC

10 source articles · read the reporting →

UCCS professor secretly photographed over 1,700 people for facial recognition research

A University of Colorado Colorado Springs professor, Terrance Boult, led a project that secretly photographed more than 1,700 students, faculty, and passers-by on campus in 2012-2013 to improve facial recognition technology. The photos were published as a public dataset from 2016 until April 2019. University officials defended the research, but a law professor questioned the ethics of the surveillance without consent.

Company involved

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Parking Enforcement Services wrongly fines parents due to faulty licence plate cameras

Dozens of parents at a Christchurch childcare centre were wrongly issued $85 parking fines by Parking Enforcement Services after its licence plate recognition cameras failed to accurately capture multiple short visits. The company acknowledged some misreads and waived fines on appeal, but parents described the process as stressful and time-consuming. An additional camera was installed to improve accuracy.

Company involved

Parking Enforcement Services

1 source article · read the reporting →

Chelmer Valley High School reprimanded for facial recognition DPIA failure

Chelmer Valley High School was issued a reprimand by the ICO for failing to complete a Data Protection Impact Assessment before introducing facial recognition technology for cashless catering. The reprimand was issued on 22 July 2024.

Company involved

Chelmer Valley High School

7 source articles · read the reporting →

CBSE OnMark portal vulnerability exposed student data to Google Gemini

A 19-year-old ethical hacker, Nisarga Adhikary, claimed to have hacked the CBSE's digital evaluation ecosystem, revealing that personal information of students was processed by Google's Gemini in automation scripts. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) stated on May 31, 2026, that the identified vulnerabilities had been contained and other exploitable weaknesses were being ruled out. The board expressed gratitude to alert citizens and ethical hackers who pointed out the weaknesses. No actual data breach was confirmed, but the incident raised concerns about student privacy.

Company involved

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

AI system involved

OnMark

1 source article · read the reporting →

Mass AI cheating scandal at Yonsei University with hundreds of students using ChatGPT

A large-scale cheating scandal has erupted at Yonsei University, where hundreds of students in a third-year online course are suspected of using AI tools such as ChatGPT to cheat on their midterm exam. The professor discovered signs of misconduct and offered students a chance to confess, with those coming forward receiving a zero but no further penalty. A poll on a student community app indicated that over half of respondents admitted to cheating. The university has not yet established clear guidelines on AI use.

Company involved

Yonsei University

AI system involved

ChatGPT

6 source articles · read the reporting →

Princeton Review charges higher SAT prep fees to Asian Americans

A ProPublica study found that Princeton Review's geographically-determined pricing system charges Asian American students almost twice as likely as other ethnicities to pay the highest prices for online SAT tutoring. The system sets prices based on location, with higher prices in areas like New York City where Asian Americans are concentrated. Princeton Review stated that prices reflect local costs and competition, but the disparity raises concerns about racial discrimination in automated pricing.

Company involved

Princeton Review

7 source articles · read the reporting →

School AI surveillance like Gaggle can lead to false alarms, arrests

AI surveillance tools used in schools, such as Gaggle, GoGuardian and Bark, are reported to generate false alarms that have led to student arrests. The article examines cases where automated monitoring flagged innocent behaviour as threats, causing harm to students and families.

2 source articles · read the reporting →

Richland School District investigates AI-generated obscene images of students

Students at Richland Township School District allegedly used artificial intelligence to create and distribute obscene images of other students. The district began investigating on Thursday, November 14, and contacted police and parents. Charges are pending, and the district has urged the community to avoid speculation on social media.

Company involved

Richland Township School District

2 source articles · read the reporting →

MAA, JBG to pay DC $9.3M total to settle RealPage case - Multifamily Dive

The system set rent prices for tenants, causing them to pay higher rents.

Company involved

MAA (Mid-America Apartments) and JBG Smith

AI system involved

RealPage Revenue Management Software

1 source article · read the reporting →

Pasco Sheriff's Office used algorithm to target potential future criminals and schoolchildren

The Pasco Sheriff's Office operates an intelligence-led policing programme that uses an algorithm to identify people who might break the law based on criminal histories and social networks. Deputies are sent to the homes of those flagged, even without evidence of a crime, and former deputies allege they were ordered to make targets' lives miserable. The agency also keeps a list of more than 400 schoolchildren predicted to 'fall into a life of crime', built from data such as grades and child welfare records, without informing the children or their parents. Civil liberties groups are considering lawsuits and public advocacy campaigns, and experts have called the programmes 'morally repugnant'.

Company involved

Pasco Sheriff's Office

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Students at Ontario school share AI-generated fake nude photos of peers

Students at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School in London, Ontario, used artificial intelligence to alter photos of their classmates from social media, creating fake nude images and sharing them through group chats. The school sent a letter to parents warning of disciplinary measures, and London police are investigating. A 16-year-old victim said she feels humiliated and embarrassed, and students are calling for more education on AI misuse.

5 source articles · read the reporting →

iTutorGroup to Pay $365,000 to Settle EEOC Discriminatory Hiring Suit

The system automatically rejected tutor applicants aged 55+ (women) or 60+ (men).

Company involved

iTutorGroup

1 source article · read the reporting →

Delhi Government uses facial recognition on children in government schools

The Delhi Government's Education Department is using facial recognition technology in conjunction with CCTV cameras in government schools, according to responses to RTI requests filed by the Internet Freedom Foundation. The organisation urged the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights to intervene, alleging that the practice violates children's right to privacy and education under the Indian Constitution. No specific incident of harm has been reported, but the organisation warns of potential misidentification and disproportionate penalties.

Company involved

Government of NCT of Delhi, Education Department

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Meta AI Chatbot Falsely Claims to Have a Child in NYC Parents Group

Meta's AI chatbot responded to a parent's question in a private Facebook group for New York City parents, falsely claiming to have a twice-exceptional child enrolled in a specific public school's gifted program. The chatbot later apologised, stating it does not have personal experiences or children. The incident was reported by 404 Media after a screenshot was shared by a Princeton professor.

Company involved

Meta

AI system involved

Meta AI chatbot

2 source articles · read the reporting →