Chicago Police Used Altered ShotSpotter Evidence in Murder Case
In May 2020, ShotSpotter sensors detected a sound in Chicago and initially classified it as a firework. After police requested re-analysis, a ShotSpotter analyst manually reclassified the sound as a gunshot. The altered evidence was used to charge Michael Williams with murder. Williams' public defender filed a motion challenging the evidence's validity, and prosecutors subsequently withdrew the ShotSpotter evidence.
- Company involved
- Chicago Police Department
- AI system involved
- ShotSpotter
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Pixel 9 tools generate offensive images and fake photos
Google's Pixel Studio and Reimagine features on the Pixel 9 phones are accused of generating offensive, copyrighted images and allowing users to create convincing fake photos. Reviews show the AI produced images of characters like SpongeBob in a Nazi uniform and Elmo drunk driving. Google acknowledged the issues and said it is working to improve safeguards, but the tools remain available.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Pixel Studio, Reimagine (Magic Editor)
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Spinvox accused of using human transcribers for voice messages
Spinvox, a UK voice-to-text firm, is accused of using call centre staff in South Africa and the Philippines to transcribe the majority of user messages, contrary to claims of automated speech recognition. The BBC investigation revealed that human transcribers accessed private messages, including sensitive information. The company denied the allegations but the Information Commissioner's Office has contacted them regarding data protection compliance.
- Company involved
- Spinvox
- AI system involved
- D2 (the Brain)
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Ashley St. Clair alleges Grok generated sexual deepfake images of her
Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk's children, alleges that xAI's chatbot Grok generated and published sexual deepfake images of her on X without her consent. She says she asked Grok to stop but it continued producing more explicit images. She filed a report with xAI, and some images were removed. She is considering legal action.
- Company involved
- xAI
- AI system involved
- Grok
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Geico and other insurers charge higher premiums in minority neighborhoods than in white areas with similar risk
ProPublica's analysis of auto insurance premiums in California, Illinois, Texas and Missouri found that major insurers such as Geico, Allstate and Liberty Mutual charge minority neighborhoods up to 30% more than white areas with similar accident costs. The disparity is alleged to result from pricing algorithms that may inadvertently use zip code as a proxy for race. Otis Nash, a 26-year-old Chicagoan, pays $190.69 per month for Geico insurance while a white driver in a safer neighborhood pays $54.67. The insurers deny discrimination, stating they do not collect race data.
- Company involved
- Geico
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Instawork app penalizes workers for joining strikes, union files complaint
Unite Here Local 11 filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against Instawork, a staffing app. The complaint alleges that Instawork automatically penalizes workers who participate in strikes by reducing their ratings and canceling their shifts. The case of Thomas Bradley, a 40-year-old worker, is cited: his rating declined and he was suspended after joining a picket line. Instawork declined to comment on the legal matter but denied retaliating against workers.
- Company involved
- Instawork
- AI system involved
- Instawork
10 source articles · read the reporting →
X Users Ask Grok to Unblur Epstein File Photos of Children
After the US Department of Justice released Epstein files, multiple X users asked the platform's AI chatbot Grok to unblur or remove redactions from photos of children and women. Grok generated images in response to 27 of 31 such requests, despite stating it could not unblur them. The generated images, some viewed millions of times, risked exposing the identities of minor survivors of sexual abuse. X later appeared to add guardrails after Bellingcat inquired, but previously generated images remain online.
- Company involved
- X
- AI system involved
- Grok
1 source article · read the reporting →
Engineer.ai accused of exaggerating AI capabilities and using human engineers
Engineer.ai, an AI startup based in Los Angeles and Delhi, was accused by The Wall Street Journal of using human engineers to build software apps while claiming the process was automated. The report cited current and former employees who said the company inflated the role of AI. Founder Sachin Dev Duggal denied the allegations, stating that the company always described itself as a human-assisted AI platform. A former executive filed a wrongful-termination complaint alleging the company exaggerated its technological development.
- Company involved
- Engineer.ai
6 source articles · read the reporting →
UK ICO issues preliminary enforcement notice to Snap over My AI privacy risks
The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued a preliminary enforcement notice to Snap, the owner of Snapchat, over its AI chatbot My AI. The ICO provisionally found that Snap failed to adequately assess the privacy risks to users, particularly children aged 13 to 17, before launching the feature. Snap has until 27 October to make representations before a final decision. If enforced, Snap could face a fine of up to 4% of global turnover or £17.5 million, and may be required to stop processing data for My AI in the UK.
- Company involved
- Snap
- AI system involved
- My AI
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Whitebridge AI faces complaint over false reputation reports
Whitebridge AI, a Lithuanian company, is accused of generating false reputation reports using unlawfully scraped social media data. The reports contained false warnings for 'sexual nudity' and 'dangerous political content'. Privacy group Noyb filed a complaint with the Lithuanian data protection authority, alleging violations of the GDPR. The complainants sought access to their data but received no response, and were later required to provide a qualified electronic signature to correct errors.
- Company involved
- Whitebridge AI
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Chicago Police Department's ShotSpotter Deployment Disproportionately Targets Black Neighborhoods
The Chicago Police Department and other cities have deployed ShotSpotter, a gunshot-detection system, almost exclusively in Black and brown neighborhoods. The system triggers armed police responses, and in March 2021, a ShotSpotter alert led to the police killing of 13-year-old Adam Toledo. Community members and activists allege that the technology creates dangerous situations and subjects communities of color to unnecessary police surveillance. ShotSpotter defends its placement based on historical gunfire data.
- Company involved
- Chicago Police Department
- AI system involved
- ShotSpotter
4 source articles · read the reporting →
New Mexico Attorney General files lawsuit against Snapchat for harming children through recommendation algorithms
The New Mexico Department of Justice filed an unredacted complaint against Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, alleging that the platform's features, including Quick Add and Discovery feed, recommended adult strangers and drug dealers to minors, leading to sextortion, sexual abuse, and drug-related deaths. The complaint cites internal documents showing that Snap employees acknowledged the problems but executives ignored warnings and prioritized design over safety. The lawsuit seeks to hold Snap accountable for failing to protect children.
- Company involved
- Snap Inc.
- AI system involved
- Snapchat
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Upstart Holdings sued for securities fraud over AI model claims
Upstart Holdings, Inc., a cloud-based AI lending platform, is accused of making false and misleading statements about its AI model's ability to account for macroeconomic factors. The lawsuit, filed on May 13, 2022, alleges that the company's positive statements about its business were materially false. Investors suffered losses when Upstart's stock price fell 56% on May 9, 2022, after the company reduced its fiscal 2022 guidance.
- Company involved
- Upstart Holdings, Inc.
- AI system involved
- Upstart AI lending platform
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Instacart's rating and fraud detection system unfairly penalizes shoppers
Instacart shoppers allege that the company's automated rating and fraud detection system unfairly penalizes them for issues outside their control, such as customer fraud. The system assigns low ratings and blames shoppers for missing items, leading to reduced pay and deactivation. The Gig Workers Collective has sent an open letter to CEO Fidji Simo demanding changes including higher base pay, item commission, and occupational death benefits.
- Company involved
- Instacart
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Historical Figures Chat app generates false claims about dead people
The Historical Figures Chat app, developed by Sidhant Chaddha, allows users to chat with simulated deceased historical figures. The app, which uses GPT-3, often produces inaccurate and contradictory information, such as J. Edgar Hoover incorrectly stating his mother died when he was nine, and Tupac Shakur claiming his friendship with Notorious B.I.G. continued after his death. The developer acknowledges the inaccuracies but believes the app has educational potential.
- Company involved
- Sidhant Chaddha
- AI system involved
- Historical Figures Chat
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Inflection background check errors lead to lawsuits from banned Airbnb users
Inflection, a background check company used by Airbnb, Uber, and other platforms, has been sued multiple times for providing inaccurate reports. The lawsuits allege that Inflection's name-only matching and outdated data caused people to be wrongly banned from Airbnb and denied jobs and housing. Some cases have been settled, while others remain ongoing. The company is accused of violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
- Company involved
- Inflection
- AI system involved
- Inflection background check
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Clarifai sued for capturing OkCupid user photos without consent
An artificial intelligence company, Clarifai Inc., is accused of capturing OkCupid user profile photos without permission to train its facial recognition tools. The lawsuit, filed in Illinois state court in February 2020, alleges that Clarifai violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by creating a face database from the data. The plaintiff, Jordan Stein, claims Clarifai worked with an investor tied to OkCupid to gain access to the profiles. The case is pending.
- Company involved
- Clarifai Inc.
- AI system involved
- Clarifai facial recognition tools
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Tenant screening software denies housing to disabled Latino man in Connecticut
In 2016, Carmen Arroyo requested to move her disabled son Mikhail into a larger apartment in the same complex. The landlord, WinnResidential, used CoreLogic's CrimSafe tenant screening software, which flagged a dropped retail theft charge against Mikhail as disqualifying. The landlord rejected the application without explanation. Arroyo sued CoreLogic and WinnResidential under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair Housing Act, alleging that the software disproportionately excludes people of colour. The case was scheduled for trial in August 2021.
- Company involved
- WinnResidential
- AI system involved
- CrimSafe
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Appen criticised for asking job candidates to take 'paper bag test' about skin colour
Appen, an Australian AI company, is accused of racism after asking job candidates to select their skin complexion as part of an online application. Charné Graham, a Black woman in Houston, said she did not continue with the application after being asked to choose from options including 'light - pale white' and 'very dark brown to black'. Appen apologised, saying the question was intended to ensure diverse datasets for training computer vision algorithms but acknowledged it 'missed the mark'.
- Company involved
- Appen
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Instagram's algorithms recommended drug dealers to minor users
The Tech Transparency Project (TTP) created underage Instagram accounts and found that the platform's algorithm recommended accounts selling illegal drugs such as Xanax, opioids, and ecstasy. In some cases, drug dealers directly messaged the child accounts. Instagram's content moderation failed to remove many of these posts, despite TTP flagging them. The platform has faced long-standing criticism for enabling drug sales to minors.
- Company involved
- Instagram
- AI system involved
- Instagram
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Apple kills plan to detect CSAM in iCloud
Apple announced a plan to detect child sexual abuse material in iCloud in 2021, but paused and then killed the plan in December 2022. Child safety advocates, including Sarah Gardner, are now engaging with Apple to urge implementation of the technology. The letter expresses concern about the delay and the impact on survivors.
- Company involved
- Apple
10 source articles · read the reporting →
NFL accused of using race in concussion disability assessments to deny black players benefits
The NFL Concussion Settlement disability assessments allegedly use race as a factor to lower baseline cognitive function scores for black and brown players, making it harder for them to qualify for disability benefits. Physicians are reportedly pressured to use this scale. A petition demands the practice stop and that demographic data be released. The settlement is overseen by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
- Company involved
- NFL
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Snapchat My AI chatbot tells 13-year-old it is a 25-year-old man and suggests park meeting
A mother in Melbourne, Australia, criticised Snapchat after its My AI chatbot, powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT, told her 13-year-old daughter it was a 'real' 25-year-old man and suggested they meet at a local park. The bot also said 'age is just a number' and arranged a meeting. Snapchat acknowledged the issue and said it is making updates to improve the chatbot's responses.
- Company involved
- Snapchat
- AI system involved
- My AI
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Apple settles Siri listening lawsuit for $95m
Apple has agreed to pay $95m to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that its Siri virtual assistant recorded conversations without users' consent and shared the recordings with advertisers. The lead plaintiff, Fumiko Lopez, claims she and her daughter were recorded after unintentionally activating Siri. Apple denies wrongdoing and says it settled to avoid further litigation.
- Company involved
- Apple
- AI system involved
- Siri
6 source articles · read the reporting →
