Facebook's ad system offered antisemitic targeting categories, investigation finds
In September 2017, an investigation by ProPublica revealed that Facebook's self-service ad platform allowed advertisers to target users based on antisemitic interest categories such as 'Jew hater' and 'How to burn Jews'. The categories, automatically generated by a Facebook algorithm, had an audience of nearly 2,300 users. ProPublica tested the system by successfully targeting ads to these groups. After being contacted, Facebook removed the offensive categories and announced it was removing self-reported targeting fields to prevent discriminatory use.
- Company involved
- Facebook
- AI system involved
- Facebook Ads
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Booking.com still misleading consumers with false '1 room left' claims
Booking.com continues to display misleading scarcity messages on its hotel booking platform, claiming that only one room is left when in fact many more are available. Which? Travel found that five out of ten such claims were inaccurate, with one example showing 34 rooms still available at a London hotel. The Competition and Markets Authority had given Booking.com until 1 September 2019 to change its practices, but the platform has not fully complied. Booking.com says it has worked to implement the commitments agreed with the CMA.
- Company involved
- Booking.com
10 source articles · read the reporting →
RealPage's YieldStar algorithm pushes rents higher for tenants
RealPage's YieldStar algorithm uses private competitor data to recommend rent increases for apartment units. Landlords adopt up to 90% of the suggestions, leading to higher rents for tenants. Critics allege the software may facilitate indirect price-fixing in violation of antitrust law. The company denies wrongdoing and says the software helps eliminate collusion.
- Company involved
- RealPage
- AI system involved
- YieldStar
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Stanford Researchers Find Over 1,000 LinkedIn Profiles Using AI-Generated Faces for Spam
Renée DiResta and Josh Goldstein of the Stanford Internet Observatory discovered over 1,000 LinkedIn accounts using AI-generated profile images to send sales pitches, bypassing LinkedIn's message limits. The fake accounts, which appeared to be real people, were used for corporate spamming rather than political disinformation. LinkedIn investigated and removed the violating accounts, stating that all profiles must represent real people.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Walgreens deploys digital cooler doors with ads from Cooler Screens
Walgreens is rolling out digital cooler doors from Cooler Screens that display ads before showing the cooler contents. The system tracks when customers stop in front of the doors but claims to be identity-blind. Customers have expressed confusion and annoyance on social media. Walgreens says the screens provide relevant product information.
- Company involved
- Walgreens
- AI system involved
- Cooler Screens
10 source articles · read the reporting →
SEC warns public of deep fake investment scams featuring Lance Gokongwei
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) warned the public that scammers are using deep fake videos and audio of Lance Gokongwei to endorse fraudulent investment schemes. The manipulated media circulate on social media, deceiving people into investing in a platform registered in Cyprus. Victims are asked to provide credit card details and OTPs, then lose contact when attempting to withdraw funds. The SEC advises the public to verify investment offers with the agency.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Facebook approved harmful ads targeting teens in TTP experiment
The Tech Transparency Project (TTP) submitted six test ads to Facebook promoting pill parties, anorexia, alcohol, smoking, gambling, and dating services, targeting users aged 13-17. Facebook approved all ads within hours, despite its policies prohibiting such content. The ads never ran as TTP did not allow them to be published. Facebook stated it has measures in place to review ads.
- Company involved
- Facebook
- AI system involved
- Facebook Ads
10 source articles · read the reporting →
UBC students raise concerns over Proctorio's privacy breach and discrimination
The University of British Columbia (UBC) uses Proctorio, an algorithmic test proctoring software, for remote exams. In June 2020, a UBC student reported an issue with Proctorio, and the company's CEO released the student's support chat logs, sparking privacy concerns. The AMS of UBC published an open letter alleging that Proctorio discriminates against students of colour, those with disabilities, and other groups by flagging 'abnormal' behaviours and denying access. The letter calls on UBC to end its contract with Proctorio and conduct an external audit.
- Company involved
- University of British Columbia
- AI system involved
- Proctorio
10 source articles · read the reporting →
ProctorU threatens UC Santa Barbara faculty over privacy criticism
ProctorU, an online proctoring service, sent a legal threat letter to the University of California Santa Barbara faculty association after the association expressed concerns about ProctorU's data privacy policies. The letter, from ProctorU's lawyer, invoked defamation, copyright, and trademark claims, and was copied to state and federal prosecutors. The faculty association had asked the university to reconsider its relationship with ProctorU due to concerns about student data sharing.
- Company involved
- ProctorU
- AI system involved
- ProctorU
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Proctorio's exam proctoring system allows human agents to review student feeds despite privacy claims
A security researcher analyzed Proctorio's Chrome extension and found evidence that the system allows human agents to review students' room scans and live ID checks, contrary to Proctorio's claims that only professors can access recordings. The system flags students based on behavioral metrics and can terminate exams. The researcher also raised concerns about discrimination against low-income students and privacy violations.
- Company involved
- Proctorio
- AI system involved
- Proctorio
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Portland Metro ends Replica partnership over data privacy concerns
Portland Metro, an elected regional government in Oregon, ended its pilot project with movement data company Replica after a disagreement about data sharing. Portland Metro requested raw, disaggregated data, which Replica refused to provide, citing user privacy concerns. The partnership was terminated without payment.
- Company involved
- Portland Metro
- AI system involved
- Replica
10 source articles · read the reporting →
FTC settles with Sitejabber over reviews from customers who had not received goods
The US Federal Trade Commission has charged Sitejabber, an AI-enabled review platform, with deceiving consumers by publishing ratings and reviews submitted at the point of purchase, before buyers had received or experienced the products. The FTC alleges this artificially inflated average ratings and review counts for its clients. Sitejabber has agreed to a proposed consent order prohibiting it from making such misrepresentations in the future.
- Company involved
- Sitejabber
- AI system involved
- Sitejabber
10 source articles · read the reporting →
DeepScore markets facial and voice analysis app for trustworthiness scoring despite experts' doubts
DeepScore, a Tokyo-based company, is marketing an app that uses facial and voice recognition to score people's trustworthiness for lenders and insurers in Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. The company says the app can detect deception with 70 per cent accuracy, but researchers and privacy advocates say there is no reliable scientific basis for such judgments and warn of discrimination and privacy harms. The chief executive said the system is only one part of lenders' and insurers' decision-making and that people can choose not to use it. Critics respond that an unequal balance of power makes consent difficult.
- Company involved
- DeepScore
- AI system involved
- DeepScore
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon offers commitments to address EU antitrust concerns over seller data and Buy Box bias
The European Commission announced that Amazon has offered commitments to address competition concerns regarding its use of non-public data from independent sellers and alleged bias in its Buy Box and Prime programmes. The Commission preliminarily found that Amazon's automated systems may distort competition by favouring its own retail business and sellers using its logistics. Amazon commits to refrain from using seller data for retail decisions and to ensure equal treatment in Buy Box and Prime. The commitments are subject to a market test before becoming legally binding.
- Company involved
- Amazon
- AI system involved
- Buy Box and Prime algorithms
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Coca-Cola faces backlash over AI-generated Christmas ad
Coca-Cola released an AI-generated Christmas advertisement intended to evoke its classic 1995 'Holidays Are Coming' commercial. The ad, created by three AI studios using generative AI models, drew criticism from consumers and artists who called it 'soulless' and argued it replaced human creativity. A Coca-Cola spokesperson defended the ad as a collaboration between human storytellers and generative AI, and said the company will continue exploring AI in marketing.
- Company involved
- Coca-Cola
5 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 →
Airbnb smart-pricing algorithm increased racial revenue gap, study finds
A study by Carnegie Mellon University found that Airbnb's smart-pricing algorithm increased the revenue gap between White and Black hosts, even though it narrowed the gap among hosts who adopted it. The algorithm, which sets daily prices automatically, was adopted by fewer Black hosts, so its suggested prices were closer to the optimum for White hosts. The researchers said the tool could reduce racial disparities only if more Black hosts adopted it.
- Company involved
- Airbnb
- AI system involved
- Airbnb smart-pricing algorithm
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon sellers lose thousands after RepricerExpress pricing glitch
A software glitch in RepricerExpress's automated repricing system caused products sold by Amazon sellers to be priced at 1p, leading to significant financial losses for the sellers. RepricerExpress apologised but did not offer compensation, while Amazon said it had reached out to affected sellers but many reported no response. Some sellers have instructed lawyers to take legal action against RepricerExpress and Amazon.
- Company involved
- RepricerExpress
- AI system involved
- RepricerExpress
10 source articles · read the reporting →
California regulator accuses Maxpread Technologies of using AI-generated fake CEO to scam investors
Maxpread Technologies allegedly used an AI-generated avatar to pose as its CEO in a YouTube video to deceive investors. The California DFPI issued cease and desist letters to Maxpread and four other companies for offering unqualified securities and making false promises. The regulator claims the companies promised high daily returns using AI trading, but these claims were false. Maxpread did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Maxpread Technologies
8 source articles · read the reporting →
TOV Realty, LLC v. Suarez; Kosel Equity, LLC v. MacGregor (SC Connecticut): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, 6 hours CLE;…
The AI generated legal briefs containing fabricated citations, which were submitted to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
- Company involved
- GLG Law LLC
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
1 source article · read the reporting →
iRobot considers selling Roomba home mapping data to advertisers
iRobot's Roomba vacuum cleaners with mapping technology collect detailed floor plan data of users' homes. The company's CEO stated he is considering selling this data to companies like Amazon, Apple, or Google for advertising purposes. Robotics experts express concern about the lack of user consent and potential privacy implications.
- Company involved
- iRobot
- AI system involved
- Roomba 960/980
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Facebook Marketplace loophole allows disguised gun sales
Facebook Marketplace uses AI algorithms and human moderators to prevent illegal item sales. However, sellers have exploited a loophole by listing firearms disguised as expensive gun cases, with the actual gun included. The Independent and Wall Street Journal found multiple listings across US states. Facebook acknowledged the violations and stated that such items would be removed.
- Company involved
- Facebook
- AI system involved
- Facebook Marketplace
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon's search algorithm favors its own brands over competitors
The Markup investigated Amazon's product search results and found that the company's algorithm prioritizes its own house brands and exclusive products over competitors, even when competitors have higher ratings and more reviews. A national survey commissioned by The Markup found that 90% of respondents were unaware that Amazon's highest-selling house brands were owned by the company. Amazon denied favoring its own brands in search results.
- Company involved
- Amazon
- AI system involved
- Amazon product search ranking algorithm
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Deepfake video promotes fake Petro-Canada investment scheme
A Facebook ad used deepfake videos of Justin Trudeau and CBC anchor Aarti Pole to promote a fake Petro-Canada investment platform. Suncor, Petro-Canada's parent company, confirmed the offer was not legitimate. The manipulated videos were created using AI and did not air on CBC.
5 source articles · read the reporting →
