U.S. Border Patrol uses AI and ALPR to target drivers for pretext stops and asset seizures
The U.S. Border Patrol has built a nationwide dragnet driver-surveillance system using automated license plate readers and AI to flag suspicious travel patterns. Local police then pull over targeted drivers on pretexts, interrogate them, and seize cash and vehicles through civil asset forfeiture. The program has been kept secret, with details hidden from court documents and the public. The ACLU report highlights the abuse of innocent drivers and calls for congressional action.
- Company involved
- U.S. Border Patrol (CBP)
- AI system involved
- Automated license plate reader (ALPR) system with AI analytics
6 source articles · read the reporting →
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 involved
- Ticket to the Moon, Inc.
- AI system involved
- Gradient
9 source articles · read the reporting →
DWP's Universal Credit algorithm causes underpayment and hardship for claimants
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uses an automated means-testing algorithm in its Universal Credit system that miscalculates earnings due to a design flaw, leading to underpayments and fluctuating benefit amounts. Claimants such as Janet R. received payments hundreds of pounds short, forcing them into debt and foodbank use. A Court of Appeal ruling in June 2020 ordered the DWP to fix the flaw, but the department had not yet fully implemented the remedy at the time of writing.
- Company involved
- Department for Work and Pensions
- AI system involved
- Universal Credit
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Serbia's Social Card law could harm marginalized groups
Serbia's Social Card law, which entered into force on 1 March 2022, establishes a centralized government database to assess eligibility for social security support. Amnesty International and seven other rights organizations submitted a legal opinion to the Constitutional Court, alleging that the automated system is an intrusive surveillance system that could discriminate against Roma communities and people with disabilities. The system processes 130 categories of personal data and lacks transparency, potentially leading to errors and denial of benefits.
- Company involved
- Serbian government
- AI system involved
- Social Card system
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Nevada's AI grad score model cuts funding for low-income students
Nevada replaced its income-based school funding formula with a machine learning model developed by Infinite Campus that generates a 'grad score' for each student. The model reduced the number of students eligible for supplemental funding from 288,000 to 63,000, disproportionately affecting low-income students. Critics argue the model lacks transparency and de-emphasizes economic status, potentially leaving many high-poverty schools underfunded.
- Company involved
- Nevada Department of Education
- AI system involved
- Grad score model
7 source articles · read the reporting →
India's Aadhaar facial recognition risks excluding millions from vaccines
India's National Health Authority piloted an Aadhaar-based facial recognition system for authentication at COVID-19 vaccination centres, and made Aadhaar the preferred mode of registration. Rights groups and experts warned that millions of vulnerable people, including those without an Aadhaar ID, could be excluded or misidentified and denied vaccines. The system was tested in the eastern state of Jharkhand, with plans for nationwide rollout.
- Company involved
- National Health Authority
- AI system involved
- Aadhaar-based facial recognition system
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Facebook Allowed Age-Targeted Credit Card Ads Violating Its Policy
The Markup found that four companies—Aspiration, Hometap, Chime, and Varo Bank—ran Facebook ads for credit cards and home equity loans that were targeted by age, excluding users under 25 or 35. This practice violates Facebook's own anti-discrimination policy and may violate the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment, and some advertisers said they would review their ad targeting.
- Company involved
- Facebook
- AI system involved
- Facebook Ad Platform
9 source articles · read the reporting →
USPS algorithm RRECS causes pay cuts for two-thirds of rural mail carriers
The United States Postal Service (USPS) implemented a new algorithm, RRECS, to evaluate rural carrier routes and determine pay. Due to flaws in how carriers scanned packages, the algorithm underestimated route times, resulting in pay cuts for 66 per cent of rural carriers, some losing thousands of dollars annually. Carriers report that they were not adequately trained on the system and that the cuts are scheduled to take effect, though they have been postponed multiple times. The USPS stated that the system is the result of a nationally negotiated agreement.
- Company involved
- United States Postal Service
- AI system involved
- RRECS
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Denmark's Udbetaling Danmark welfare algorithm illegally surveilled millions
Udbetaling Danmark (UDK), Denmark's centralized welfare payment agency, used automated algorithms to check eligibility and detect fraud. The system collected personal data on millions of beneficiaries and their relatives, including non-beneficiaries, in what a think-tank called 'systematic surveillance'. A complaint to the Danish Data Protection Authority led to a ruling that the data collection violated GDPR, and UDK eventually deleted the illegally obtained data. The system also caused erroneous payments, including underpaying 300,000 pensioners by 94 million euros annually.
- Company involved
- Udbetaling Danmark
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon expands palm-scanning payments to all Whole Foods stores amid privacy concerns
Amazon is expanding its Amazon One palm-scanning payment system to all Whole Foods stores by the end of 2023. The biometric technology, which creates a unique palm signature from vein patterns, is used for payments and identification. Privacy advocates and lawmakers have raised concerns about surveillance, data sharing, and security risks. Amazon faces a class action lawsuit under New York City's biometric privacy law for allegedly failing to provide adequate notice.
- Company involved
- Amazon
- AI system involved
- Amazon One
9 source articles · read the reporting →
EPIC lawsuit challenges USPS secret surveillance program using facial recognition
The United States Postal Service's law enforcement wing, the Postal Inspection Service, ran a secret surveillance program called the Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP) that used facial recognition from Clearview AI and social media monitoring tools to infiltrate online communities and monitor protests. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) sued the USPS for failing to conduct and publish a privacy impact assessment as required by the E-Government Act. A federal district court dismissed the lawsuit on standing grounds, ruling that EPIC did not suffer a cognizable injury from the agency's refusal to disclose information about the program.
- Company involved
- United States Postal Service
- AI system involved
- Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP)
10 source articles · read the reporting →
LAPD told officers to collect social media data on every civilian stopped
The Los Angeles Police Department directed officers to record the social media accounts of every civilian they interviewed, including those not arrested or accused of a crime, according to records obtained by the Brennan Center for Justice. The field interview cards, which also ask for social security numbers, have raised civil liberties concerns. Prosecutors have accused three officers of using the cards to falsely label civilians as gang members. The LAPD said the policy was being updated but did not respond to questions about its use of social media monitoring tools including Media Sonar and Geofeedia.
- Company involved
- Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)
- AI system involved
- Field interview cards, Media Sonar, Geofeedia
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Zhengzhou officials punished for red health codes on depositors
Five officials in Zhengzhou were punished for ordering red health codes to be assigned to 1,317 depositors of four village banks, restricting their movement and preventing them from withdrawing savings. The officials acted without authorization, and the codes were later turned green after media coverage. Legal experts say the liability for privacy invasion remains unresolved, and the banks may face breach of contract claims.
- Company involved
- Zhengzhou municipal government
- AI system involved
- Health code system
10 source articles · read the reporting →
EviCore denied heart catheterization for patient using algorithm
In fall 2021, Little John Cupp's doctor requested a left heart catheterization exam. EviCore, a company hired by UnitedHealthcare, denied the request twice using an algorithm called 'the dial' that adjusts thresholds for review. The algorithm flagged the request for review, and EviCore's doctors determined it was not medically necessary. Cupp did not receive the procedure and his symptoms continued.
- Company involved
- EviCore (a Cigna company)
- AI system involved
- the dial
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Presto Automation uses off-site human agents to double-check AI drive-thru orders
Presto Automation Inc, which markets an AI voice assistant for drive-thru ordering, used off-site human agents in countries including the Philippines to double-check orders in more than 70% of customer interactions, according to SEC filings reported by Bloomberg. The company told Bloomberg that the process helps train its system and should reduce human intervention over time. Presto's drive-thru AI is used in more than 400 restaurants, including Del Taco, Carl's Jr and Checkers, and its stock fell more than 10% after the reports.
- Company involved
- Presto Automation Inc.
8 source articles · read the reporting →
US CBP deploys CBP One app using facial recognition for asylum seekers amid privacy concerns
The article reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection quietly deployed the CBP One mobile app at the Mexico border. The app uses facial recognition and geolocation to collect and verify information on asylum seekers before they enter the United States. Privacy experts warn that the app poses risks of persistent surveillance and that the facial recognition algorithm is unreliable for people of colour. A previous CBP facial recognition pilot was hacked, exposing images. CBP says the app is voluntary and data is secure.
- Company involved
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- AI system involved
- CBP One
8 source articles · read the reporting →
California EDD's automated fraud detection wrongly suspended 600,000 legitimate unemployment claims
In January 2021, the California Employment Development Department used Thompson Reuters automated batch review software to flag 1.1 million unemployment claims as potentially fraudulent. EDD stopped payments on those claims without prior notice. Later, over 600,000 were confirmed as legitimate after claimants used ID.me to verify their identity. The incident highlights the trade-off between fraud prevention and timely benefit access.
- Company involved
- California Employment Development Department (EDD)
- AI system involved
- Thompson Reuters Automated Batch Review
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Haryana government's algorithm wrongly declares thousands dead, stops pensions
The Haryana state government's Family Identity Data Repository (PPP) algorithm wrongly declared thousands of elderly and widowed citizens as dead, stopping their pensions. Dhuli Chand, a 102-year-old man, had to stage a mock wedding procession to prove he was alive after his pension was cut for six months. The government acknowledged the errors and corrected some records, but many still face difficulties.
- Company involved
- Haryana state government
- AI system involved
- Family Identity Data Repository (Parivar Pehchan Patra or PPP)
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Swedish welfare agency's AI system flags marginalized groups for fraud investigations
Försäkringskassan, Sweden's Social Insurance Agency, uses an AI risk-scoring system to flag welfare applicants for fraud investigations. The system disproportionately targets women, individuals with foreign backgrounds, low-income earners, and those without university degrees, according to an investigation by Lighthouse Reports and Svenska Dagbladet. Amnesty International has called for the system to be discontinued, citing violations of the right to equality and non-discrimination.
- Company involved
- Försäkringskassan (Swedish Social Insurance Agency)
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Woman denied state welfare card groceries after face scan fails
A grandmother rode her motorcycle several kilometres to a shop in Sapphaya district, Chai Nat province, to use her state welfare card to buy groceries for her family. After selecting items, she failed repeated facial recognition scans because her ID card photo was years old and no longer matched her appearance. She left the shop empty-handed and in tears.
- Company involved
- Government of Thailand (state welfare card system)
2 source articles · read the reporting →
DWP algorithm mistakenly flags 200,000 Housing Benefit claimants for fraud review
The UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uses an algorithm to flag Housing Benefit claimants for possible fraud or error. According to a Big Brother Watch investigation, the algorithm has mistakenly flagged 200,000 innocent people, subjecting them to intrusive reviews. Only one in three flagged cases actually had errors, compared to two in three during the pilot. The DWP has spent £4.4 million on these pointless checks.
- Company involved
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
6 source articles · read the reporting →
DWP algorithm approved Kickstart gateways with no trading history or based abroad
An FE Week investigation found that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) approved dozens of companies as Kickstart gateways through automated due diligence checks using the Cabinet Office Spotlight Tool, although some had little or no trading history or were based abroad. The DWP said gateways were subject to stringent checks and later said human checks were also used. After the findings were shared with the Treasury and the DWP, the department stopped taking gateway applications and scrapped the requirement for small employers to use gateways from 3 February.
- Company involved
- Department for Work and Pensions
- AI system involved
- Cabinet Office Spotlight Tool
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Aadhaar biometric glitch denies rations, leads to starvation death
Motka Manjhi, a low-income villager in Jharkhand, India, was repeatedly denied subsidised food rations because his thumbprint failed to register on the Aadhaar biometric system. Unable to travel to a centre to update his data, he went without food and died of starvation on 22 May. His family believes the denial of rations caused his death. Activists allege that similar Aadhaar glitches have led to other starvation deaths.
- Company involved
- Government of India
- AI system involved
- Aadhaar
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Tennessee's TennCare Connect algorithm illegally denied thousands Medicaid benefits
A U.S. District Court judge ruled that Tennessee's TennCare Connect system, built by Deloitte for over $400 million, illegally denied thousands of low-income residents and people with disabilities Medicaid and disability benefits due to programming and data errors. The system automatically terminated coverage without properly considering eligibility for all available programs. A class action lawsuit filed in 2020 resulted in the ruling.
- Company involved
- TennCare (Tennessee Medicaid)
- AI system involved
- TennCare Connect
10 source articles · read the reporting →
