The 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.

Reports people file about their own experience are not shown here and never will be without their agreement. Tell us what happened to you.

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68 incidents closest to “HTS Assist” · matched on meaning · public reporting

Parents sue Hingham Public Schools over AI project D grade

The parents of a Hingham High School senior allege the school unfairly punished him for using AI on a social studies project, giving him a D and Saturday detention despite no handbook rule against AI. They say the grade kept him out of the National Honor Society and threatens his applications to top-tier colleges. The family sued Hingham High School administration and the school district in Plymouth County District Court, seeking a grade change and NHS admission. Hingham Public Schools has declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.

Company involved
Hingham Public Schools

2 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-H9X6M91 May 2020

Australian terrorism prediction tool Vera-2R flagged autism as criminality risk factor

An independent report found that the Australian government's Vera-2R terrorism risk assessment tool included autism spectrum disorders as a risk factor without empirical evidence. The tool was used to assess terrorist offenders, influencing post-sentence orders including ongoing detention. Despite the critical report being received in May 2020, the federal and NSW governments continued to use the tool. The report concluded the tool was 'extremely poor' at predicting risk.

Company involved
Department of Home Affairs
AI system involved
Vera-2R

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-HT4UHG1 Jan 2011

Houston teachers sue over secret EVAAS evaluation algorithm

Houston Independent School District used the SAS Institute's EVAAS system, a proprietary algorithm, to evaluate teacher performance based on student test scores. The Houston Federation of Teachers and several teachers sued in 2014, alleging the system violated their Fourteenth Amendment procedural due process rights because the algorithm is a trade secret and teachers cannot verify the accuracy of their scores. A federal magistrate judge refused to dismiss the procedural due process claims in May 2017, ruling that teachers must have an opportunity to test the accuracy of the scores that could cost them their jobs.

Company involved
Houston Independent School District
AI system involved
Educational Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS)

1 source article · read the reporting →

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Uses Secret Algorithm ATLAS to Flag Naturalized Citizens for Denaturalization

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security operates a secret algorithm called ATLAS that screens naturalized citizens for potential fraud or national security concerns, flagging them for denaturalization. The system, hosted on Amazon Web Services, analyzes biometric and other data from various federal databases, and its rules are undisclosed. Human reviewers then decide whether to refer flagged individuals to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for possible deportation. Critics allege the algorithm relies on inaccurate data and lacks transparency, leading to wrongful denaturalization proceedings.

Company involved
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
AI system involved
ATLAS

2 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-DG870X13 Oct 2025

Hassan v ABC International Bank (Employment Tribunals): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Costs Order

The AI generated fabricated legal citations that the claimant submitted to the tribunal, resulting in a costs order against the claimant.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-RMG9SS1 Jan 2022

Jordan's National Aid Fund Algorithm Denies Cash Assistance to Vulnerable Households

Human Rights Watch reported that Jordan’s Takaful cash transfer programme, run by the National Aid Fund and financed by the World Bank, uses an algorithm to rank households by estimated economic vulnerability and select recipients. The report found that the algorithm relies on inaccurate self-reported income and questionable indicators such as car ownership and utility use, causing eligible poor families to be denied benefits or receive reduced payments. The World Bank and NAF defended the programme and its targeting approach.

Company involved
National Aid Fund (NAF)
AI system involved
Takaful (Unified Cash Transfer Program)

3 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-FSUUWV6 Apr 2018

Durham Police uses Experian Mosaic data in HART AI risk tool

Durham Constabulary developed the Harm Assessment Risk Tool (HART), a machine learning algorithm that assesses the recidivism risk of offenders. The tool uses 34 data categories including criminal history, age, gender and two types of postcode, one sourced from Experian's Mosaic marketing segmentation system. Big Brother Watch alleges that using such commercial consumer behaviour data to inform custody decisions risks prejudice and disproportionate targeting of deprived neighbourhoods. The force has stated it is refreshing the model with an aim to remove one of the postcode predictors.

Company involved
Durham Constabulary
AI system involved
Harm Assessment Risk Tool (HART)

9 source articles · read the reporting →

Calcutta High Court questions ChatGPT exclusion of IndiaMART from search results

IndiaMART, an Indian B2B online marketplace, has petitioned the Calcutta High Court alleging that ChatGPT deliberately excluded it from search results. The company claims the exclusion was based on a United States Trade Representative report and caused loss of goodwill, reputation and commercial injury. The court observed there appeared to be selective discrimination but declined to pass interim orders before hearing the other side. The matter is listed for 13 January 2026.

Company involved
OpenAI
AI system involved
ChatGPT

4 source articles · read the reporting →

Hikvision sells Uyghur recognition system to Chinese authorities

Hikvision, a Chinese surveillance company, sold a facial recognition system powered by NVIDIA to authorities in the People's Republic of China. The system is designed to identify Uyghur individuals, enabling ethnic profiling and surveillance. The article reports that the system was marketed as a tool for public security and was deployed without transparency or accountability. No specific incident of harm is described, but the potential for widespread discrimination and human rights abuses is highlighted.

Company involved
Hikvision
AI system involved
Uyghur recognition system

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-89GNUB1 Oct 2018

AMS algorithm lacks transparency and may discriminate against job seekers

The Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) uses an algorithm to classify job seekers into categories A, B, and C, determining their access to benefits and training. Scientists from TU Wien, WU Wien, and University of Vienna have criticised the algorithm for lacking transparency, as only two of 96 model variants have been published. They allege that the system may discriminate against women and people with migration background, and that job seekers are not informed about how the algorithm works or given a chance to appeal.

Company involved
AMS (Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich)
AI system involved
AMS-Algorithmus

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-JH5L2X26 Mar 2021

Teleperformance plans AI webcam surveillance for home-working staff

Teleperformance, a global call centre company, told some staff it would install AI-powered webcams to monitor home-working infractions such as eating, phone use, or leaving desks. The system would randomly scan for breaches and send alerts to managers. After the Guardian inquired, the company said the remote scans would not be used in the UK, but the plan raised concerns from unions and MPs about invasive surveillance.

Company involved
Teleperformance

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-N16FBJ1 Oct 2022

Israeli military uses Smash Hopper turret against Palestinian protesters

The Israeli military deployed Smash Hopper remote-controlled gun turrets in the West Bank. The turrets fire stun grenades, less-than-lethal bullets, and tear gas at Palestinian protesters without warning. The systems were observed at Al-Aroub refugee camp and Hebron in October 2022. The Smash Hopper is produced by Smart Shooter.

Company involved
Israeli military
AI system involved
Smash Hopper

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-E7VSR21 Jan 2021

LA's VI-SPDAT housing scoring system gives lower priority to Black and Latino people

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority uses the VI-SPDAT scoring system to prioritise unhoused people for subsidised permanent housing. An investigation by The Markup found that Black and Latino people consistently receive lower vulnerability scores than White people, leading to lower priority for housing. The agency has acknowledged the racial disparities and is working on a new tool, but continues to use the current system.

Company involved
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
AI system involved
VI-SPDAT

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-B4HA2D17 Jan 2025

United States v. Hayes (E.D. California): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Formal Sanction Imposed + Written Reprimand

The AI-generated fictitious citation was submitted in a motion to unseal, affecting the defendant's legal proceedings.

Company involved
Federal Public Defender's Office, Eastern District of California

1 source article · read the reporting →

NHTSA investigates Tesla Autopilot over 11 crashes with first responder vehicles

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into Tesla's Autopilot system after identifying 11 crashes in which Tesla vehicles collided with first responder vehicles. In each incident, the vehicles were confirmed to have Autopilot or Traffic-Aware Cruise Control engaged. Most crashes occurred after dark and involved scene control measures such as lights, flares, and road cones. NHTSA will assess the system's ability to monitor driver engagement and handle emergency scenes.

Company involved
Tesla Inc.
AI system involved
Autopilot

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-YWUJN81 Oct 2024

Company fires HR team after ATS auto-rejects manager's CV due to filtering error

A company's applicant tracking system (ATS) auto-rejected qualified candidates' resumes for three months because it was filtering for the outdated framework AngularJS instead of the required Angular framework. The manager discovered the flaw by submitting his own CV under a pseudonym and found it was rejected within seconds. After the manager reported the issue to upper management, the company investigated and dismissed half of its HR team. No legal action or regulatory involvement is reported.

4 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-R2SNAZ1 Jan 2013

UnitedHealth used ALERT algorithm to limit mental health coverage, regulators found

ProPublica reports that UnitedHealth Group's Optum subsidiary used the ALERT algorithm to flag mental health patients and therapists as outliers, leading to therapy coverage denials. Regulators in California, Massachusetts and New York alleged this breached the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and UnitedHealth agreed to restrict the system in those jurisdictions. The company denies wrongdoing and says its programmes are compliant. Affected patients, including Medicaid enrollees, were left to pay out-of-pocket or go without care.

Company involved
UnitedHealth Group
AI system involved
ALERT

5 source articles · read the reporting →

Tourists rescued after following ChatGPT route in Tatra mountains

Three Polish tourists used ChatGPT to plan a hiking route from Hala Gąsienicowa to Dolina Pięciu Stawów in the Tatra mountains. The AI recommended a difficult route through Przełęcz Krzyżne, which proved too dangerous in winter conditions with limited visibility and icy rocks. The tourists called the TOPR rescue service and were safely brought down. A TOPR rescuer advised against relying on ChatGPT or Google Maps for mountain route planning.

Company involved
OpenAI
AI system involved
ChatGPT

2 source articles · read the reporting →

Perth hospital group bans ChatGPT after doctor used it for a patient discharge summary

South Metropolitan Health Service, which runs five hospitals in Perth, ordered staff to stop using ChatGPT for work involving patient information after an email said some staff had used the AI chatbot to write medical notes. The service later clarified that only one doctor had used the tool to generate a patient discharge summary and that no confidential patient information had been breached. The Australian Medical Association has called for national regulations to ensure a human is involved in AI-assisted health decisions.

Company involved
South Metropolitan Health Service
AI system involved
ChatGPT

6 source articles · read the reporting →

IRCC uses AI triage for Temporary Resident Visa applications

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses an AI system called Advanced Analytics to triage Temporary Resident Visa applications from India and China. The system categorizes applications into tiers, with Tier 1 approved automatically and others sent to human officers. Critics allege the system lacks transparency and may introduce bias, leading to visa refusals without clear rationale. The author, a Canadian immigration lawyer, is filing Federal Court cases on behalf of clients affected by refusals.

Company involved
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
AI system involved
Advanced Analytics Triage of Overseas Temporary Resident Visa Applications

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Study finds ChatGPT provides inaccurate drug information responses

A study presented at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting found that ChatGPT's responses to nearly three-quarters of drug-related questions were incomplete or inaccurate. The AI system also generated fake citations to support some responses. Researchers warned that healthcare professionals and patients should verify ChatGPT's medication information using trusted sources to avoid potential harm.

Company involved
OpenAI
AI system involved
ChatGPT

8 source articles · read the reporting →

Teleperformance deploys AI to neutralise Indian call centre agents' accents

Teleperformance, the world's largest call centre operator, has announced it is using AI from Sanas to modify the accents of its Indian employees in real time. The technology, called accent translation, aims to make agents sound more neutral to native English speakers. The company invested $13 million in Sanas and gained exclusive rights. No specific incident of harm has been reported.

Company involved
Teleperformance
AI system involved
Sanas AI

6 source articles · read the reporting →

US State Department to use AI to revoke student visas over pro-Hamas posts

The US State Department is reported to be using AI-assisted reviews of tens of thousands of foreign students' social media accounts, with a view to revoking visas of those deemed 'pro-Hamas'. According to Axios, the project was launched by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and is looking for evidence of alleged terrorist sympathies expressed since October 2023. Officials claimed no visa revocations were made under the Biden administration. No individual revocations have yet been reported.

Company involved
US State Department

5 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-PS9FKF1 Dec 2020

Houston's ShotSpotter system delays police response and over-polices minority communities

Houston Police Department deployed ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system, in Southeast and Northwest Houston starting in late 2020. The system alerts police to suspected gunfire, but over 80% of alerts are unfounded. This has led to longer response times for other calls and increased police presence in predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods, causing anxiety and concerns of over-policing. Critics argue the technology has not reduced gun violence and diverts resources from more effective strategies.

Company involved
Houston Police Department
AI system involved
ShotSpotter

7 source articles · read the reporting →

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