The public record

Where automated decisions went wrong

Incidents gathered from public reporting around the world. Each one links to the articles it came from. None of it is a finding that anyone broke the law.

Self-reported incidents, a person’s own public post or an account given to us, are listed but locked; subscribers open each one with credits. Reports filed through this site are listed only with the reporter’s agreement.

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4,486 incidentspress and self-reported

Page 102 of 187

Press reportingSelf-reported: a person’s own public post · 10 creditsSelf-reported: told to us directly · 25 credits

WF-II25VQHappened 28 Jul 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
ExamSoft failure during Michigan Bar Exam
On July 28, 2020, ExamSoft's software platform failed during the Michigan Bar Exam, preventing some test takers from completing the exam. ExamSoft posted a statement on X (formerly Twitter) with the hashtag #MichiganBarExam, but critics noted the company deleted and reposted the statement multiple times, allegedly to hide negative comments. The incident affected a group of examinees and caused disruption to their ability to take the exam.
Company
ExamSoft
AI system
ExamSoft platform
10 source articlestwitter.com
WF-8VKXFDHappened 28 Jun 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
UBC students raise concerns over Proctorio's privacy breach and discrimination
The University of British Columbia (UBC) uses Proctorio, an algorithmic test proctoring software, for remote exams. In June 2020, a UBC student reported an issue with Proctorio, and the company's CEO released the student's support chat logs, sparking privacy concerns. The AMS of UBC published an open letter alleging that Proctorio discriminates against students of colour, those with disabilities, and other groups by flagging 'abnormal' behaviours and denying access. The letter calls on UBC to end its contract with Proctorio and conduct an external audit.
Company
University of British Columbia
AI system
Proctorio
10 source articlesams.ubc.ca
WF-PEFP2LHappened 8 Sep 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Proctorio's exam proctoring system allows human agents to review student feeds despite privacy claims
A security researcher analyzed Proctorio's Chrome extension and found evidence that the system allows human agents to review students' room scans and live ID checks, contrary to Proctorio's claims that only professors can access recordings. The system flags students based on behavioral metrics and can terminate exams. The researcher also raised concerns about discrimination against low-income students and privacy violations.
Company
Proctorio
AI system
Proctorio
10 source articlestwitter.com
WF-XH2W9IHappened 1 Sep 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Proctortrack data breach exposed student data from online proctoring
Proctortrack, an online proctoring service used by universities, suffered a data breach in September 2020 when its source code was leaked online. An analysis by Consumer Reports found that the code contained hard-coded passwords and exposed the names and email addresses of over 150 students. The company acknowledged the leak but said no harm resulted. Students had been required to use the software, which performed facial recognition and recorded video during exams.
Company
Proctortrack
AI system
Proctortrack
10 source articlesconsumerreports.org
WF-IL3CFJHappened 1 Jul 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
ProctorU data breach exposes 444,000 user records
ProctorU, an online exam proctoring service, confirmed a data breach after a threat actor leaked a database of user records on a hacker forum. The database contained email addresses, names, addresses, phone numbers, and hashed passwords for approximately 444,000 users, including students from universities such as UCLA, Princeton, and Harvard, as well as U.S. military members. ProctorU stated that the breach involved records from 2014 and that they are investigating the incident.
Company
ProctorU
AI system
ProctorU
8 source articlesbleepingcomputer.com
WF-W8MY6XHappened 1 Sep 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Middle schooler beats Edgenuity grading algorithm to get perfect score
A seventh-grade student in the Los Angeles Unified School District received a failing grade on a history assignment graded by Edgenuity's automated scoring algorithm. With help from his mother, a history professor, he reverse-engineered the algorithm by writing a paragraph with relevant keywords and a jumble of words, earning a perfect score. The incident highlights concerns about the accuracy and fairness of automated grading systems in education.
Company
Los Angeles Unified School District
AI system
Edgenuity
10 source articleswbur.org
WF-PWMRM8Happened 4 Dec 2016Live 5 Oct 2026
Google search algorithm returned Holocaust denial as top result
Google's search algorithm returned Holocaust denial content as the top result for the query 'did the Holocaust happen'. The result linked to Stormfront, a neo-Nazi site. Google later modified some results without public acknowledgment. The article alleges that Google's algorithm is being gamed by extremist sites.
Company
Google
AI system
Google Search
10 source articlestheguardian.com
WF-HF8YGELive 5 Oct 2026
Meta sues Voyager Labs for scraping Facebook and Instagram user data
Meta filed a legal action against Voyager Labs, alleging that the company used fake accounts and proprietary software to scrape user data from Facebook and Instagram. The scraping collected profile information, posts, friends lists, photos and comments. Meta disabled Voyager's accounts and sought a permanent injunction. The case was settled in December 2024, with Voyager agreeing to a permanent injunction and monetary payment.
Company
Voyager Labs
10 source articlesabout.fb.com
WF-2AN5ECHappened 15 Nov 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Polish government suspends culture fund after algorithm grants millions to wealthy stars
The Polish government used an algorithm to allocate 400 million zloty in COVID-19 culture support funds. The algorithm awarded large sums to high-earning star performers, including 1.89 million zloty to a company managed by Paweł Golec. After public criticism, Culture Minister Piotr Gliński suspended the fund and announced a review. The government defended the algorithm, stating it was based on financial criteria and aimed to protect jobs.
Company
Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
9 source articlesnotesfrompoland.com
WF-TRGJYRHappened 4 Sep 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
University of Miami used surveillance to track student protesters
The University of Miami used video surveillance and possibly facial recognition technology to identify students who participated in a 'die-in' protest on September 4, 2020. The students were then summoned to a meeting with the dean of students. The university denied using facial recognition, but the police department's resume mentions its use. Students reported feeling anxious and watched.
Company
University of Miami
9 source articlesmiaminewtimes.com
WF-BP3BOCHappened 1 Aug 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
SQA exam algorithm disproportionately downgraded poorer pupils, report finds
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) used an algorithm to moderate 2020 exam results after COVID-19 cancelled exams. The algorithm disproportionately downgraded students from disadvantaged backgrounds, leading to a public outcry and a government U-turn. An independent report criticised the SQA and Scottish Government for failing to properly assess the equality impacts and for not making the algorithm available for analysis. The SQA has expressed no regret over the moderation approach.
Company
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
10 source articlesscotsman.com
WF-0NH1Y3Live 5 Oct 2026
Attempted deepfake CEO voicemail fraud against an unnamed technology company
An attacker used synthetic audio deepfake to leave a voicemail impersonating the CEO of a technology company, asking an employee to call back to finalize an urgent business deal. The employee found it suspicious and referred the matter to the legal department, avoiding any loss. Nisos analyzed the audio and found inconsistencies in pitch and tone.
10 source articlesnisos.com
WF-P2YW67Happened 1 Jan 2019Live 5 Oct 2026
DiveFace face-recognition dataset reuses Flickr photos despite licence restrictions
DiveFace is a face-recognition dataset published in 2019 with 139,677 images of about 24,000 people. The authors say the images came from Flickr via the MegaFace and YFCC100M datasets and were automatically labelled by gender and ethnicity. Exposing.ai found that many of the photos carry Creative Commons licences which prohibit derivative use, suggesting the dataset may have been assembled without proper permission. The dataset remains available from the authors' GitHub page.
AI system
DiveFace
3 source articlesexposing.ai
WF-BFYN1EHappened 22 Sep 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Chinese propaganda network used AI-generated faces on Facebook
Facebook removed two networks of fake accounts spreading propaganda, one originating from China and one from the Philippines. The Chinese network used AI-generated faces created through Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to create fake profiles and evade detection. The campaign targeted the US election and Southeast Asia, pushing pro-China content. Facebook took down the accounts and published a report with Graphika.
Company
Chinese propaganda network (Fujian province)
AI system
GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks)
10 source articlestechcrunch.com
WF-UZ4R1LLive 5 Oct 2026
Momus Analytics' jury-selection algorithm criticised for racial bias
Momus Analytics, a legal technology company, uses machine learning to rank potential jurors for attorneys. Experts and researchers who reviewed the company's patent application say the algorithm relies on demographic characteristics such as race, which may violate constitutional prohibitions against discriminatory jury selection. The company claims its software has helped secure verdicts worth over $940 million, but did not respond to requests for comment.
Company
Momus Analytics
AI system
Momus
9 source articlesvice.com
WF-WNUEBHHappened 25 May 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Hangzhou plans permanent health codes with scoring, sparking privacy backlash
Hangzhou health authorities announced plans to launch a permanent health-tracking QR code system that would assign residents a color and numerical score based on medical records and lifestyle choices. The proposal, an expansion of the existing COVID-19 health code system, has sparked online backlash over privacy concerns and fears of discrimination. Critics argue that the system could lead to public exposure of personal health data and potential misuse by employers. The authorities aim to complete the project by May or June 2020.
Company
Hangzhou Health Authorities
AI system
Health Code
10 source articlessixthtone.com
WF-RLW3V5Live 5 Oct 2026
Finnish recruitment company Digital Minds used AI to analyze job applicants' messages, prompting data protection investigation
Digital Minds, a Finnish recruitment company founded by psychologists, used IBM Watson AI to analyze job applicants' social media and email messages for personality assessments. The company obtained written consent but the Finnish Data Protection Ombudsman launched an investigation, suspecting violations of data protection laws and the secrecy of correspondence. The service was used on fewer than ten applicants and has been paused pending the investigation.
Company
Digital Minds
AI system
IBM Watson
9 source articlesyle.fi
WF-7F1DM8Live 5 Oct 2026
French court orders Google to delist link accusing man of child sex abuse
Mr. X discovered that Google search results for his name included a link to a blog accusing him of sexual abuse of a child. Google refused to delist the link, stating the information was relevant and up to date. Mr. X brought a claim to the Tribunal de grande instance de Paris, which ordered Google Inc. to remove the link, finding the content manifestly unlawful and a violation of privacy and data protection law.
Company
Google Inc.
AI system
Google search engine
10 source articlesglobalfreedomofexpression.columbia.edu
WF-KJR2I9Happened 2 Apr 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
India mandates Aarogya Setu app for workers despite privacy concerns
The Indian government has made its Aarogya Setu COVID-19 contact tracing app mandatory for gig workers and government employees, despite widespread privacy and algorithmic accountability concerns. The app lacks transparency and data protection safeguards, and could misidentify individuals as at risk, leading to forced isolation and loss of income. A coalition of 37 organisations and 75 individuals sent a joint representation to the Prime Minister's Office urging that the app not be made mandatory and calling for financial relief and healthcare for workers.
Company
Government of India
AI system
Aarogya Setu
10 source articlesinternetfreedom.in
WF-EHVN0UHappened 11 Jul 2022Live 5 Oct 2026
Hong Kong government to impose health code app with red codes, sparking privacy fears
The Hong Kong government announced it will implement a China-style COVID-19 health code app, requiring real-name registration and assigning red, amber, or green codes to residents based on their health status. The system will restrict movement and access to public places for those with red codes. Critics fear the system could be used for political control and monitoring, citing examples from mainland China where health codes have been used to target dissidents. The government says the app is necessary for pandemic response.
Company
Hong Kong government
AI system
LeaveHomeSafe app
6 source articlesrfa.org
WF-7WO69UHappened 1 Nov 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
UK government revises housing algorithm after Tory backlash
The UK government proposed a new algorithm to calculate housing targets for local councils in England. Critics, including former Prime Minister Theresa May, called it a 'mutant algorithm' that would fail to level up the North and lead to overdevelopment in the South. After a backlash from Conservative MPs, the government announced it would revise the formula to focus on building more homes in the North and urban areas.
Company
UK Government
10 source articlesbbc.co.uk
WF-60D14KHappened 1 Nov 2018Live 5 Oct 2026
EU to trial AI lie detector at airports in Hungary, Latvia, Greece
The European Union is set to trial an AI-powered lie detector system called iBorderCtrl at airports in Hungary, Latvia and Greece. The system uses a virtual avatar to question passengers and monitors their facial expressions to detect deception. Privacy groups have raised concerns about bias and error rates, noting that the technology has only been tested on 32 people. The trial will require passenger consent and will be overseen by human guards.
Company
European Union (iBorderCtrl project)
AI system
iBorderCtrl
6 source articlesedition.cnn.com
WF-ROQ7HBHappened 27 Nov 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Iran scientist killed by AI-equipped machine-gun, claims commander
Iran's Revolutionary Guards claim that Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a top nuclear scientist, was killed on 27 November 2020 by a satellite-controlled machine-gun using artificial intelligence. The weapon, mounted in a pick-up truck, allegedly fired 13 bullets, hitting Fakhrizadeh and his head of security without injuring his wife. The claims have not been verified and have been met with scepticism.
10 source articlesbbc.co.uk
WF-9AL4QIHappened 1 Dec 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Facial recognition toilet paper dispensers suspended in Dongguan over privacy concerns
The Dongguan Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau in Guangdong, China, deployed facial recognition technology in public toilet paper dispensers to limit usage. Citizens raised privacy concerns, leading to the suspension of the system. The bureau stated that photos were deleted after a time and the system was not networked.
Company
Dongguan Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau
10 source articlesscmp.com

Each incident is written from the reporting or the account it cites. A report is an allegation, not a finding.

ExamSoft failure during Michigan Bar Exam

UBC students raise concerns over Proctorio's privacy breach and discrimination

Proctorio's exam proctoring system allows human agents to review student feeds despite privacy claims

Proctortrack data breach exposed student data from online proctoring

ProctorU data breach exposes 444,000 user records

Middle schooler beats Edgenuity grading algorithm to get perfect score

Google search algorithm returned Holocaust denial as top result

Meta sues Voyager Labs for scraping Facebook and Instagram user data

Polish government suspends culture fund after algorithm grants millions to wealthy stars

University of Miami used surveillance to track student protesters

SQA exam algorithm disproportionately downgraded poorer pupils, report finds

Attempted deepfake CEO voicemail fraud against an unnamed technology company

DiveFace face-recognition dataset reuses Flickr photos despite licence restrictions

Chinese propaganda network used AI-generated faces on Facebook

Momus Analytics' jury-selection algorithm criticised for racial bias

Hangzhou plans permanent health codes with scoring, sparking privacy backlash

Finnish recruitment company Digital Minds used AI to analyze job applicants' messages, prompting data protection investigation

French court orders Google to delist link accusing man of child sex abuse

India mandates Aarogya Setu app for workers despite privacy concerns

Hong Kong government to impose health code app with red codes, sparking privacy fears

UK government revises housing algorithm after Tory backlash

EU to trial AI lie detector at airports in Hungary, Latvia, Greece

Iran scientist killed by AI-equipped machine-gun, claims commander

Facial recognition toilet paper dispensers suspended in Dongguan over privacy concerns