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.

Report what happened to you →

4,817 incidentspress and self-reported

Page 167 of 201

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

WF-37TVRBLive 3 Oct 2026
Bernice King calls for removal of deepfake video of father endorsing Trump
A pro-Trump account on X posted an AI-generated deepfake video depicting Martin Luther King Jr. endorsing Donald Trump. Bernice King, the civil rights leader's daughter, called the video 'vile, fake, irresponsible' and demanded its removal. The video used a synthetic voice and likeness to make it appear as if King were speaking. The incident highlights concerns about AI-generated misinformation in political contexts.
Company
MagaResource
3 source articlesthe-independent.com
WF-34627FHappened 1 Sep 2022Live 3 Oct 2026
TikTok Search Engine Surfaces Misinformation to Young Users
In September 2022, NewsGuard found that TikTok's search algorithm consistently returned false and misleading videos to users searching for news topics, including COVID-19, elections, and abortion. Nearly 20% of the top 20 results for sampled searches contained misinformation, some promoting dangerous DIY remedies. TikTok stated it removes harmful misinformation and removed the six flagged videos, but the platform's search results continued to surface misleading content.
Company
TikTok
AI system
TikTok
2 source articlesnewsguardtech.com
WF-35N8YVHappened 1 Mar 2025Live 3 Oct 2026
Cascade students charged over AI-generated deepfake nudes of classmates
Three Cascade High School students face charges for allegedly using artificial intelligence to create and share fake nude images of female classmates. The images, which superimposed the girls' faces onto nude bodies, were circulated among students online in spring 2025, causing widespread concern among families. The school district has barred the charged students from in-person attendance and is reviewing its policies, while law enforcement continues to investigate.
2 source articlestelegraphherald.com
WF-333WY8Happened 1 May 2025Live 3 Oct 2026
Philip Morris accused of using AI to rig EU tobacco consultation responses
Dutch broadcasters Pointer and NOS allege that Philip Morris International used an AI-powered platform, 'Your Voice, Your Choice', to generate responses to the European Commission's public consultation on tobacco legislation. The platform offered pre-defined responses and AI assistance, leading to an estimated 30 per cent of all responses being AI-generated. Philip Morris denies wrongdoing, stating that users retained full control and that anti-tobacco lobbyists are attempting to discredit legitimate participation. The incident raises concerns about the integrity of EU democratic processes.
Company
Philip Morris International
AI system
Your Voice, Your Choice
4 source articleseunews.it
WF-34YWVMHappened 20 Dec 2019Live 3 Oct 2026
Facebook Removes Pro-Trump Network Using AI-Generated Faces
Facebook removed over 900 accounts, pages, and groups associated with The BL, a network that used AI-generated profile photos to spread pro-Trump content to 55 million users. Researchers from Graphika and DFRLab found that the network used generative adversarial networks to create fake faces, marking the first large-scale use of AI-generated images in an influence operation. The accounts were operated from Vietnam and the US, and were linked to The Epoch Times. Facebook's action came after the researchers identified the inauthentic activity.
Company
The BL
6 source articleswired.com
WF-33GRGVLive 3 Oct 2026
Genoa prosecutor's automatic transcription error changes 'lawful' to 'illicit'
During an investigation into alleged corruption, the Genoa prosecutor's office used automatic speech-to-text software to transcribe an interrogation of suspect Roberto Spinelli. The software incorrectly transcribed 'finanziamenti leciti' (lawful financing) as 'finanziamenti illeciti' (illicit financing), an error that could have significantly influenced the case. The mistake was discovered on 26 May when the judge re-listened to the audio at the request of Spinelli's lawyers. The incident highlights concerns about the reliability of AI transcription tools in the Italian judicial system.
Company
Procura della Repubblica di Genova
1 source articleilpost.it
WF-325UPLLive 3 Oct 2026
Toronto AI swimmer warning experiment failed
The City of Toronto deployed an artificial intelligence system intended to warn swimmers. The experiment failed.
Company
City of Toronto
3 source articlestheinformation.com
WF-323RJNLive 3 Oct 2026
Hackers use AI deepfake of YouTube CEO in credential theft scam
Hackers targeted YouTube content creators with a phishing scam using an AI-generated deepfake of CEO Neal Mohan. The private video falsely announced monetisation policy changes and directed victims to phishing sites or malware. YouTube warned creators that it never contacts users through private videos and advised reporting the messages. Affected users reported malicious executables stealing session cookies and hijacking accounts.
4 source articleshackread.com
WF-2WMC72Happened 1 Jan 2019Live 3 Oct 2026
Buenos Aires Facial Recognition System Leads to False Arrests and Legal Battle
The city of Buenos Aires deployed a facial recognition system in 2019 that led to at least 140 false positives, resulting in police stops and arrests. Guillermo Federico Ibarrola was mistakenly identified as a criminal and spent five days in prison. Judicial investigations found evidence of irregularities and possible misuse for surveillance, leading to the system's deactivation. The city is now in a legal battle to reactivate it, while data privacy activists have sued.
Company
City of Buenos Aires
1 source articlepulitzercenter.org
WF-2ZJVQJLive 3 Oct 2026
Alibaba Cloud tested ethnicity detection algorithm, drawing criticism
Alibaba Cloud developed and tested a facial recognition algorithm that could identify a person's ethnicity or label them as Uyghur, according to research by IPVM. Alibaba expressed dismay, stating the trial technology was not deployed by any customer and that ethnic tags have been removed from its product. The incident raised concerns about potential ethnic profiling of Uyghur Muslims in China. The company said it does not permit its technology to be used for targeting specific ethnic groups.
Company
Alibaba Cloud
2 source articlestechcrunch.com
WF-2V4GXSHappened 1 Jul 2026Live 3 Oct 2026
Spokane officials fooled by AI-generated police photo and event flyer
In July 2026, Spokane city officials inadvertently released an AI-generated photo of an undercover police officer holding a dog, which was later revealed to be fake. Separately, a parks department employee used AI to create a flyer for a clocktower event that plagiarised the work of local artist Matthew Clinard. The city apologised, removed the flyer, and pledged to review its AI policies and training. The incidents highlight the risks of generative AI in government communications.
Company
City of Spokane
1 source articlespokesman.com
WF-2X92G5Happened 20 Mar 2026Live 3 Oct 2026
Hachette withdraws Shy Girl novel amid AI writing allegations
Hachette Book Group withdrew the horror novel Shy Girl by Mia Ballard from sale in the UK and cancelled its US release after readers alleged that portions of the text were generated by AI. The author denied personally using AI, stating that an acquaintance she hired for an earlier self-published version had incorporated AI tools. The publisher conducted an internal review and stated it remains committed to protecting original creative expression. The author reported severe mental health impacts and reputational damage as a result of the controversy.
Company
Hachette Book Group
4 source articlestheguardian.com
WF-2W2H5AHappened 14 Aug 2023Live 3 Oct 2026
Cruise Robotaxis Blamed for Delaying Ambulance in San Francisco Man's Death
In August 2023, a homeless man named Sammy Davis was fatally struck by a city bus in San Francisco. Emergency responders alleged that two Cruise robotaxis blocked their ambulance, delaying transport. City officials later clarified that Cruise was not at fault for the death, and the man had been hit by a bus. Cruise denied any responsibility, stating the delay was only 90 seconds.
Company
Cruise
AI system
Cruise robotaxi
2 source articlesgizmodo.com
WF-2UG8KRLive 3 Oct 2026
Salt Lake City police warn of AI-generated voice scam impersonating Chief Mike Brown
A community member in Woods Cross, Utah, received an email with a video that used AI to clone the voice of Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown. The fake message claimed the recipient owed the federal government nearly $100,000 and that a wire transfer had been rejected. The police department warned the public about the scam and provided tips to avoid voice-cloning fraud. No financial loss was reported.
4 source articlesfox13now.com
WF-2MHCVSHappened 1 Jan 2013Live 3 Oct 2026
Study Finds COMPAS Sentencing Algorithm No More Accurate Than Random People, Shows Racial Bias
A study by Dartmouth College researchers found that the COMPAS recidivism risk assessment algorithm, used by judges in several US states, is no more accurate than random people recruited online. The algorithm, developed by Equivalent, exhibited racial bias by classifying black defendants as higher risk and white defendants as lower risk, leading to harsher rehabilitation recommendations for black defendants. The bias likely stems from skewed arrest rate data. The findings build on a 2016 ProPublica investigation.
Company
Broward County courts
AI system
COMPAS
10 source articlespbs.org
WF-2UC3MQHappened 1 Mar 2026Live 3 Oct 2026
CPS apologises after AI generates fake legal citations in court documents
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) used generative AI to draft court documents for extradition appeals, resulting in the inclusion of non-existent legal authorities. The error was identified by opposing counsel before the hearing and had no impact on the outcome. The CPS apologised to the High Court, attributing the mistake to a failure by a reviewing lawyer to verify the AI-generated content, and undertook an internal review to prevent recurrence. The judge accepted the apology and noted the serious risks of using AI without proper oversight.
Company
Crown Prosecution Service
1 source articlelawgazette.co.uk
WF-XALICGHappened 1 Aug 2023Live 3 Oct 2026
Deepfakes used as weapons of disinformation in Sudan's war
Since the outbreak of conflict in Sudan, AI-generated deepfakes have been widely used on social media to spread disinformation. Fake images, videos and audio recordings have been created to impersonate political figures, spread false claims of atrocities and cast doubt on authentic evidence. Fact-checking organisations and activists are struggling to combat the trend, which threatens to incite violence and erode trust in information.
3 source articlesafricanarguments.org
WF-2AGSUUHappened 1 Jan 2019Live 3 Oct 2026
Facebook algorithm fed violent and nude content to users with low digital literacy
Facebook researchers found that the platform's algorithms fed posts containing violence and nudity to users with low digital literacy over a 30-day period. The study assessed users' digital literacy skills and compared them to the content they were shown. The findings suggest that the recommendation system disproportionately exposed vulnerable users to harmful material.
Company
Facebook
4 source articlesusatoday.com
WF-2PVWQUHappened 31 May 2026Live 3 Oct 2026
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
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
AI system
OnMark
1 source articlethehindu.com
WF-2MWLWNHappened 1 Aug 2023Live 3 Oct 2026
The Voice of Sudan campaign uses AI to impersonate Omar al-Bashir on TikTok
An anonymous campaign called 'The Voice of Sudan' used AI voice conversion to create fake recordings of former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, posting them on TikTok since late August 2023. The recordings, taken from a US-based commentator's broadcasts, caused confusion amid Sudan's civil war. TikTok removed the account after being contacted by the BBC, citing violations of its synthetic media policy. The incident highlights the ease of spreading audio disinformation.
Company
The Voice of Sudan
3 source articlesdig.watch
WF-2MBDEGHappened 13 Nov 2017Live 3 Oct 2026
Apple's Face ID on iPhone X Bypassed by Researchers with 3D-Printed Mask
Security researchers at Bkav in Singapore demonstrated a method to unlock an iPhone X using a 3D-printed mask, makeup, and 2D images, bypassing Apple's Face ID facial recognition system. The proof-of-concept attack, which cost £115 to create, raises concerns for high-profile individuals whose devices could be targeted. Apple stated that Face ID is designed to be secure and that they worked with mask makers to prevent such bypasses, but the vulnerability was shown just ten days after the phone's release.
Company
Apple
AI system
Face ID
10 source articlesthesun.co.uk
WF-2LAYJ8Happened 24 Apr 2019Live 3 Oct 2026
Buenos Aires city government uses live facial recognition to track minors in criminal database
The Buenos Aires city government deployed a live facial recognition system in April 2019 that scans subway passengers and matches them against CONARC, a national database of alleged offenders. Human Rights Watch found that the database includes at least 166 children, some as young as one to three years old, and that the system has led to numerous false arrests. The system was implemented without public consultation, and there is no mechanism to correct mistakes. A civil rights organization filed a lawsuit, and the government is pushing a bill to legalize the technology.
Company
Buenos Aires city government
1 source articletechnologyreview.com
WF-2LGBSXHappened 5 Dec 2022Live 3 Oct 2026
Stack Overflow bans AI-generated answers after flood of incorrect responses
In December 2022, Stack Overflow temporarily banned users from posting answers generated by OpenAI's ChatGPT. The site's moderators said the AI-generated responses had a high rate of being incorrect and were overwhelming the volunteer moderation system. The ban was imposed to reduce the volume of misleading content while the community considered a permanent policy.
Company
Stack Overflow
AI system
ChatGPT
3 source articlestheverge.com
WF-2KUQ7UHappened 20 Dec 2025Live 3 Oct 2026
Waymo Robotaxis Stall in San Francisco During Power Outage, Causing Congestion
On 20 December 2025, Waymo's driverless robotaxis stalled at intersections in San Francisco during a power outage, treating dark traffic signals as four-way stops and requesting confirmation checks. The backlog of checks caused response delays and traffic congestion. Waymo suspended its service at the request of city officials to clear streets for emergency vehicles and later explained that it is refining its system to handle such outages more decisively. The California Public Utilities Commission is investigating the incident.
Company
Waymo
AI system
Waymo robotaxi
4 source articlesbusinessinsider.com

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

Bernice King calls for removal of deepfake video of father endorsing Trump

TikTok Search Engine Surfaces Misinformation to Young Users

Cascade students charged over AI-generated deepfake nudes of classmates

Philip Morris accused of using AI to rig EU tobacco consultation responses

Facebook Removes Pro-Trump Network Using AI-Generated Faces

Genoa prosecutor's automatic transcription error changes 'lawful' to 'illicit'

Toronto AI swimmer warning experiment failed

Hackers use AI deepfake of YouTube CEO in credential theft scam

Buenos Aires Facial Recognition System Leads to False Arrests and Legal Battle

Alibaba Cloud tested ethnicity detection algorithm, drawing criticism

Spokane officials fooled by AI-generated police photo and event flyer

Hachette withdraws Shy Girl novel amid AI writing allegations

Cruise Robotaxis Blamed for Delaying Ambulance in San Francisco Man's Death

Salt Lake City police warn of AI-generated voice scam impersonating Chief Mike Brown

Study Finds COMPAS Sentencing Algorithm No More Accurate Than Random People, Shows Racial Bias

CPS apologises after AI generates fake legal citations in court documents

Deepfakes used as weapons of disinformation in Sudan's war

Facebook algorithm fed violent and nude content to users with low digital literacy

CBSE OnMark portal vulnerability exposed student data to Google Gemini

The Voice of Sudan campaign uses AI to impersonate Omar al-Bashir on TikTok

Apple's Face ID on iPhone X Bypassed by Researchers with 3D-Printed Mask

Buenos Aires city government uses live facial recognition to track minors in criminal database

Stack Overflow bans AI-generated answers after flood of incorrect responses

Waymo Robotaxis Stall in San Francisco During Power Outage, Causing Congestion