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 104 of 187

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

WF-VEPMQWHappened 2 Dec 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Google terminates Dr. Timnit Gebru after research censorship
Dr. Timnit Gebru, a Black woman research scientist and co-lead of Google's Ethical AI team, was terminated on December 2, 2020, after Google censored her research on large language models. Google claimed she resigned, but she alleges it was retaliation for her pushback against censorship and workplace discrimination. The termination sparked widespread support from Googlers and academics.
Company
Google
10 source articlesgooglewalkout.medium.com
WF-8TOR6XHappened 13 Jun 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Deepfake video falsely attributes statement to Malaysia's Defense Minister
A deepfake video of Malaysia's Senior Minister of Security, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, went viral, falsely attributing to him a statement that Singaporeans were not welcome. The minister held a press conference on June 13, 2020, to clarify that the video was altered and filed a police complaint. The incident threatened to strain bilateral relations between Malaysia and Singapore.
9 source articlesibtimes.sg
WF-QWGD1QHappened 25 Jun 2015Live 5 Oct 2026
Delphi denies near-miss between its self-driving car and Google's autonomous vehicle
Delphi Automotive initially reported a near-miss between its self-driving Audi Q5 SUV and a Google Lexus RX400h in Palo Alto, California. A Delphi executive claimed Google's car cut off the Delphi vehicle, which took evasive action. However, Delphi later denied the incident, stating the vehicles were a lane width apart and that both cars performed correctly. Google also confirmed the cars behaved appropriately in an ordinary driving scenario.
Company
Delphi Automotive
AI system
Delphi self-driving car (Audi Q5 SUV)
7 source articlestheregister.com
WF-8AP0H5Happened 15 Aug 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Fake persona with AI-generated face spreads Hunter Biden conspiracy document
A 64-page document alleging a conspiracy involving Hunter Biden was attributed to a fake intelligence firm, Typhoon Investigations, and a fabricated analyst named Martin Aspen. The profile picture for Aspen was created using an AI face generator, as identified by researchers. The document was disseminated by associates of President Trump and far-right influencers, contributing to a disinformation campaign. The article reports that the document's authorship was questionable and that the persona was fabricated.
Company
Typhoon Investigations
AI system
AI face generator
10 source articlesnbcnews.com
WF-PRUI2YHappened 7 Feb 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
BJP uses deepfake videos of Manoj Tiwari in Delhi election campaign
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) used deepfake videos of its president Manoj Tiwari speaking Haryanvi and English to target voters in the Delhi Legislative Assembly elections. The videos were created by The Ideaz Factory using a lip-sync algorithm and distributed across WhatsApp groups, reaching approximately 15 million people. The party claims the videos were part of a positive campaign, but experts warn of the dangers of deepfakes in elections. The videos were not disclosed as deepfakes to viewers.
Company
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
AI system
lip-sync deepfake algorithm
10 source articlesvice.com
WF-HIW6GEHappened 1 Oct 2019Live 5 Oct 2026
Scammer uses deepfake video to impersonate U.S. Admiral and swindle California widow of $287,928
An unidentified individual used a deepfake video to impersonate U.S. Navy Admiral Sean Buck on Skype, deceiving a widow from Santa Monica, California, into believing she was in a romantic relationship. Over four months, the victim wired nearly $288,000 to the scammer, who also posed as another person named Robert Ankeny. The funds have not been recovered, and a federal complaint has been filed.
9 source articlesdailymail.co.uk
WF-TVHDIPLive 5 Oct 2026
Chinese cities tighten rules on facial recognition in property sales
The city of Tianjin introduced a policy prohibiting private and state-owned organisations and business groups from collecting biometric data. Nanjing has ordered property agents to remove facial recognition systems from their sales offices. The moves are part of stricter laws being introduced by the central government to limit abuse of personal data.
10 source articlesscmp.com
WF-40GXAULive 5 Oct 2026
Macy's sued for using Clearview AI facial recognition without consent
A Chicago woman, Isela Carmean, filed a class-action lawsuit against Macy's, alleging the department store used Clearview AI facial recognition technology to identify customers without their consent, violating Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act. The lawsuit claims Macy's sent customer images from store surveillance to Clearview's database to obtain personal information. Macy's declined to comment on the pending litigation.
Company
Macy's
AI system
Clearview AI
10 source articleschicagotribune.com
WF-KZ1C5QLive 5 Oct 2026
PwC develops facial recognition tool to monitor employees working from home
Accounting giant PwC has developed a facial recognition tool that logs when employees are absent from their computer screens while working from home. The tool, intended for financial institutions, requires workers to provide written reasons for any absences, including toilet breaks. Commentators have criticised the tool as a huge invasion of privacy, with concerns about damage to trust and increased stress. PwC stated that the technology is designed to help regulated institutions meet compliance obligations and that voluntary consent of traders is essential.
Company
PwC
8 source articlespersonneltoday.com
WF-8Q3AWWLive 5 Oct 2026
Deepfake persona published false accusations in Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel
A deepfake persona named Oliver Taylor, with computer-generated images, published articles in the Jerusalem Post and the Times of Israel accusing London-based academics Mazen Masri and Ryvka Barnard of being terrorist sympathizers. The persona was later identified as a deepfake by Reuters and experts. The articles caused reputational harm, though the damage was described as minimal. The creator of the deepfake remains unknown.
8 source articlesinputmag.com
WF-KBSLASHappened 16 Sep 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Shipt's new V2 algorithm reduces pay for 41% of workers, study finds
A study by MIT Media Lab and Coworker.org found that Shipt's new V2 payment algorithm reduced pay for 41% of workers by an average of 11% per shop. The algorithm, rolled out in September 2020, replaced a transparent payment system with a black-box model. Workers pooled data to analyze the impact, revealing uneven distribution of earnings.
Company
Shipt
AI system
V2
10 source articlesmedia.mit.edu
WF-J5HWJYHappened 7 Apr 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Amazon threatens to fire workers for breaking social distancing rules using AI monitoring
Amazon announced a policy to fire warehouse workers who repeatedly violate social distancing rules aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19. The company plans to use internal cameras and machine learning to detect violations. Workers have criticized the policy and staged strikes, calling for better protections.
Company
Amazon
10 source articlesnypost.com
WF-MTUZ90Live 5 Oct 2026
Lowe's uses face recognition on customers without disclosure
Lowe's, a hardware retailer, uses face recognition technology in its stores to identify known shoplifters without informing customers. The ACLU contacted Lowe's and they confirmed the practice. The company states that they do not retain facial data on non-matches. The use of face recognition raises privacy concerns and has been found to have racially differential impacts.
Company
Lowe's
AI system
face recognition technology
10 source articlesaclu.org
WF-2JDFGTHappened 5 Jun 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Amazon's automated HR wrongly fires sick workers with coronavirus
Amazon's automated human resources system reportedly denied sick-leave to workers with COVID-19 and wrongfully initiated termination proceedings against some who were sick or recovering. The system, designed to handle HR requests automatically, failed under the influx of pandemic-related demands, leaving employees on hold for hours or dealing with chatbots. Six warehouse workers from Indiana to New Jersey described the problems to Bloomberg.
Company
Amazon
AI system
Automated HR system (chatbots and automated termination tracking)
8 source articlesdailymail.co.uk
WF-M5I60BHappened 1 Jan 2019Live 5 Oct 2026
Google's algorithm blurs protest graffiti on Hong Kong Street View
Google Street View's automatic blurring technology obscured two protest graffiti messages on Nathan Road in Hong Kong, including one calling for the death of Xi Jinping and another calling for liberation. Google said the blurring was an unintended algorithmic error, not deliberate censorship, and the messages remained partly visible from certain angles. The company acknowledged the flaw but did not indicate whether it would correct the images.
Company
Google
AI system
Google Street View
7 source articlesthenextweb.com
WF-5IH5EHHappened 22 Oct 2019Live 5 Oct 2026
Gradient app charges users unexpected subscription fees after free trial
The Gradient app, a celebrity lookalike app promoted by the Kardashians, charges users $19.99 per month after a three-day free trial without clear disclosure. Users complained on social media about unexpected credit card charges. The app's developer, Ticket to the Moon, has not addressed the billing complaints but denied collecting user data.
Company
Ticket to the Moon, Inc.
AI system
Gradient
9 source articlesmashable.com
WF-FZFJFNHappened 1 Aug 2011Live 5 Oct 2026
Legal challenge against Met Police's discriminatory Gangs Matrix
The Metropolitan Police's Gangs Violence Matrix is a secretive database that disproportionately affects Black individuals. Liberty and the Civil Liberties Trust launched a judicial review on behalf of Awate Suleiman and UNJUST, alleging the Matrix discriminates on racial grounds and breaches human rights and data protection laws. The case resulted in the Met agreeing to overhaul the Matrix.
Company
Metropolitan Police
AI system
Gangs Violence Matrix
9 source articlescrowdjustice.com
WF-A76PH1Live 5 Oct 2026
Robotic surgery complications underreported to FDA, study finds
A Johns Hopkins study found that out of approximately one million robotic surgeries performed since 2000, only 245 complications including 71 deaths were reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The researchers allege that hospitals and manufacturers often fail to report adverse events as required, and some incidents were only reported after media coverage. The study highlights a lack of transparency and independent data collection for robotic surgery safety.
10 source articlessciencedaily.com
WF-DK01RZHappened 1 Jan 2019Live 5 Oct 2026
TikTok suppressed posts by users deemed unattractive, poor, or disabled
TikTok instructed moderators to suppress videos from users deemed too ugly, poor, or disabled from the 'For You' feed, according to internal documents obtained by The Intercept. The policy was justified as necessary to attract new users. TikTok acknowledged the policies but said they were no longer in place.
Company
TikTok
AI system
For You feed algorithm
10 source articlestheintercept.com
WF-PA1ZLGHappened 1 Apr 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Workaround compiled Instagram selfies into face-mask facial recognition training set
Workaround, an AI startup, published the COVID19 Mask Image Dataset in April 2020, containing more than 1,200 photographs of people wearing face masks scraped from Instagram without their knowledge or consent. The dataset was intended to help train facial recognition algorithms so they could identify people whose faces are partly covered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The firm's chief executive acknowledged that the people pictured were not asked for permission and were unaware they were included. Facebook said it was investigating and does not allow third parties to use photos in this way without consent.
Company
Workaround
AI system
COVID19 Mask Image Dataset
10 source articlescnet.com
WF-B0GPTRLive 5 Oct 2026
Instagram denies study claiming it boosts semi-nudity
Instagram is accused of boosting content containing semi-nudity, based on a study. The company denies the claim, stating that posts are surfaced based on interests and timeliness, and that the study was flawed due to its extremely small sample size. No harm or further action was reported.
Company
Instagram
10 source articlestwitter.com
WF-8SFEWKHappened 23 Jul 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Google's ad portal suggested porn keywords for 'Black girls'
Google's Keyword Planner, used by advertisers to select search terms, suggested hundreds of pornographic keywords when users searched for 'Black girls', 'Latina girls', and 'Asian girls', but returned no suggestions for 'White girls' or 'White boys'. The Markup reported that Google's own adult filter flagged many of these terms, but the system still recommended them. Google acknowledged the issue, removed the terms, and said it was working to prevent recurrence.
Company
Google
AI system
Google Ads Keyword Planner
9 source articlesthemarkup.org
WF-ZN5AQGLive 5 Oct 2026
Worker killed by robot at SKH Metals car parts factory in India
A 24-year-old worker, Ramji Lal, was killed by a pre-programmed welding robot at the SKH Metals car parts factory in Manesar, India. The robot's welding sticks pierced his abdomen when he reached from behind to adjust a dislodged metal sheet. Police have booked the company management and contractor on charges of causing death due to negligence, and an investigation is ongoing.
Company
SKH Metals
6 source articlesindependent.co.uk
WF-1FPK32Happened 1 Jul 2019Live 5 Oct 2026
Telegram bot used AI to create fake nude images of over 100,000 women
A Telegram bot used artificial intelligence to digitally remove clothes from photos of women, creating fake nude images. The bot, run by an administrator known as 'P', was used to generate and share images of over 100,000 women, some of whom appeared underage. The report by intelligence company Sensity alleges that the bot was used to create and distribute the images without consent. The administrator defended the service as 'entertainment' and claimed he would remove the images.
10 source articlesbbc.co.uk

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

Google terminates Dr. Timnit Gebru after research censorship

Deepfake video falsely attributes statement to Malaysia's Defense Minister

Delphi denies near-miss between its self-driving car and Google's autonomous vehicle

Fake persona with AI-generated face spreads Hunter Biden conspiracy document

BJP uses deepfake videos of Manoj Tiwari in Delhi election campaign

Scammer uses deepfake video to impersonate U.S. Admiral and swindle California widow of $287,928

Chinese cities tighten rules on facial recognition in property sales

Macy's sued for using Clearview AI facial recognition without consent

PwC develops facial recognition tool to monitor employees working from home

Deepfake persona published false accusations in Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel

Shipt's new V2 algorithm reduces pay for 41% of workers, study finds

Amazon threatens to fire workers for breaking social distancing rules using AI monitoring

Lowe's uses face recognition on customers without disclosure

Amazon's automated HR wrongly fires sick workers with coronavirus

Google's algorithm blurs protest graffiti on Hong Kong Street View

Gradient app charges users unexpected subscription fees after free trial

Legal challenge against Met Police's discriminatory Gangs Matrix

Robotic surgery complications underreported to FDA, study finds

TikTok suppressed posts by users deemed unattractive, poor, or disabled

Workaround compiled Instagram selfies into face-mask facial recognition training set

Instagram denies study claiming it boosts semi-nudity

Google's ad portal suggested porn keywords for 'Black girls'

Worker killed by robot at SKH Metals car parts factory in India

Telegram bot used AI to create fake nude images of over 100,000 women