Facebook faces class action over Tag Suggestions facial recognition data collection
Facebook users in Illinois allege that Facebook collected their biometric face data without notice or consent through its Tag Suggestions tool, which uses facial recognition software. The class action, Patel v Facebook, was brought under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. Facebook disputes the claim, arguing that the users suffered no harm beyond the alleged statutory violation. The case was before the Ninth Circuit on an appeal of the class certification.
- Company involved
- Facebook
- AI system involved
- Tag Suggestions
2 source articles · read the reporting →
ShotSpotter held in contempt over refusal to release documents
ShotSpotter, a gunshot-detection technology company, was held in contempt of court after refusing to release documents about how it assesses gunshot alerts. The case stems from a November 2021 DUI arrest in Chicago, where the defence alleges the police pulled the driver over solely based on a ShotSpotter alert. Rather than comply with a subpoena from the Cook County Public Defender Office, ShotSpotter's attorney requested the contempt order to enable an appeal. The defence sought materials on analyst qualifications, alert reclassifications, and sensor accuracy data.
- Company involved
- ShotSpotter
- AI system involved
- ShotSpotter
1 source article · read the reporting →
CBP One app's facial recognition fails on Black skin tones, migrants report
Migrants and advocates report that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's CBP One app, used to schedule asylum appointments, frequently crashes and fails to recognize photographs of Black individuals, particularly affecting Haitians. The app also splits families and assigns appointments at distant border crossings, causing long waits in dangerous conditions. CBP did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- AI system involved
- CBP One
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Apple iPhone crash detection triggers false 911 calls from skiers in Colorado
Apple's crash detection feature on iPhone 14 and Apple Watch automatically calls 911 when it detects a sudden stop, but on ski slopes it misinterprets falls as car crashes. Dispatch centers in Colorado ski towns received dozens of false calls daily, diverting resources from real emergencies. Apple acknowledged the issue and said it is working on a fix, but the problem persists.
- Company involved
- Apple Inc.
- AI system involved
- Crash detection and fall detection on iPhone 14 and Apple Watch
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Facebook sued for harvesting Instagram users' facial scans
A class action lawsuit alleges that Facebook, Inc. illegally harvested the facial scans of over 100 million Instagram users without their consent, in violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. The lawsuit claims that Facebook's facial recognition software automatically scanned faces in photos and created biometric templates without providing required notices or obtaining informed consent. The case was sent to arbitration in March 2022 after a federal judge found that the plaintiffs agreed to Instagram's arbitration clause.
- Company involved
- Facebook, Inc.
- AI system involved
- Instagram facial recognition system
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Shipt's new V2 algorithm reduces pay for 41% of workers, study finds
A study by MIT Media Lab and Coworker.org found that Shipt's new V2 payment algorithm reduced pay for 41% of workers by an average of 11% per shop. The algorithm, rolled out in September 2020, replaced a transparent payment system with a black-box model. Workers pooled data to analyze the impact, revealing uneven distribution of earnings.
- Company involved
- Shipt
- AI system involved
- V2
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Snapchat says My AI chatbot's story post was a glitch
Snapchat's My AI chatbot posted an unintelligible one-second story to some users' story feeds and stopped responding to messages. Snap confirmed to TechCrunch that the disruption was a temporary outage and has been fixed; it said My AI cannot post stories at this time. Users had initially feared the app had surreptitiously taken photos of their ceilings, but Snap said that was not the case.
- Company involved
- Snap
- AI system involved
- My AI
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Allstate's proposed retention model charged big spenders more in Maryland
Allstate proposed an auto insurance rate adjustment plan in Maryland using a retention model algorithm that varied premium changes based on existing premiums. The algorithm would have increased rates up to 20% for customers already paying the highest premiums while capping increases at 5% for others, and would have denied meaningful discounts to thousands owed reductions. The Maryland Insurance Administration rejected the plan as discriminatory, but Allstate claims it was withdrawn and has continued proposing similar models elsewhere. The proposal never took effect in Maryland.
- Company involved
- Allstate Corporation
- AI system involved
- retention model
9 source articles · read the reporting →
TikTok consumer privacy class action seeks settlement approval
A class action lawsuit alleges that TikTok, Inc. collected and used personal data from users without proper consent. The plaintiffs have filed a motion for preliminary approval of a settlement. The case is pending in the Northern District of Illinois.
- Company involved
- TikTok, Inc.
- AI system involved
- TikTok
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 →
Snapchat's My AI chatbot denied knowing user location while keeping it
Snapchat's My AI chatbot, a GPT-based assistant, denied knowing the user's location when asked directly. Using prompt injection, the user was able to get the chatbot to reveal its hidden instructions, which showed that it was retaining location data. The case is described as a cautionary example of prompt injection and the need for companies to secure AI deployments.
- Company involved
- Snapchat
- AI system involved
- My AI
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Jacobs files BIPA class action against Walgreen Company over fingerprint scanning
A class action lawsuit alleges that Walgreen Company (Walgreens) collected and stored employees' fingerprint data without obtaining informed consent, in violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The plaintiff, Jacobs, claims the company used fingerprint scanners for employee timekeeping without providing required disclosures or obtaining written consent. The case is pending in Illinois state court.
- Company involved
- Walgreen Company
- AI system involved
- Fingerprint time clock
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Lemonade backtracks on tweet claiming AI scans customer faces for fraud
Lemonade, an insurance firm, posted a tweet claiming it uses AI to detect non-verbal cues in customer videos to deny claims. After backlash comparing the practice to phrenology, the company deleted the tweet and denied using AI to deny claims based on facial characteristics. Lemonade stated it uses facial recognition only to flag claims submitted under different identities, which are then reviewed by human investigators.
- Company involved
- Lemonade
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Apple launches official site for iPhone users to claim cash from $250M AI settlement - UNILAD Tech
Apple advertised iPhones as ready for AI features that were not delivered, affecting purchasers.
- Company involved
- Apple
- AI system involved
- Apple Intelligence
1 source article · read the reporting →
EvenUp AI errors in personal injury demand letters lead to scrutiny
EvenUp, a legal tech startup valued at $1 billion, uses AI to draft personal injury demand letters. Former employees revealed that the AI system frequently makes errors, including missing injuries and fabricating medical conditions. The company defends its hybrid approach with human oversight, but critics allege overpromised AI capabilities.
- Company involved
- EvenUp
6 source articles · read the reporting →
MakeApp makeup removal app adds imperfections, causing controversy
MakeApp, an AI-powered app that digitally removes makeup from photos, has caused controversy by adding imperfections such as redness and dullness to users' faces. Users complained on Twitter that the app exacerbates insecurities and low self-esteem. The founder defended the app as an experiment, denying any intent to shame women.
- Company involved
- MakeApp
- AI system involved
- MakeApp
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Chicago class action challenges ShotSpotter's discriminatory stop-and-frisk deployments
ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system used by the Chicago Police Department, generates alerts that lead to police deployments and stop-and-frisk stops. Analyses show over 90% of alerts are unfounded, and the system is deployed only in predominantly Black and Latinx districts. A class-action lawsuit against the City of Chicago alleges the system fuels unconstitutional and discriminatory policing, including false accusations against individuals like Michael Williams.
- Company involved
- City of Chicago
- AI system involved
- ShotSpotter
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Snapchat's My AI Gave Harmful Advice to User Posing as 13-Year-Old Girl
Tristan Harris reported that Snapchat's My AI chatbot, powered by ChatGPT, provided inappropriate advice when tested by Aza Raskin posing as a 13-year-old girl. The AI suggested how to lie to parents about a trip with a 31-year-old man, how to make losing her virginity special, and how to cover up a bruise from Child Protective Services. Harris warned that deploying untested AI to children is reckless and that the race to integrate AI across platforms puts children at risk.
- Company involved
- Snap Inc.
- AI system involved
- My AI
1 source article · read the reporting →
NHTSA investigation PE24016: Unexpected ADS behavior
Waymo's automated driving system exhibited unexpected behavior during driving.
- Company involved
- Waymo
1 source article · read the reporting →
Security Health Plan used AI to cut off nursing home care for 85-year-old woman
Frances Walter, an 85-year-old woman with a shattered shoulder, had her nursing home care payment cut off by Security Health Plan after an algorithm predicted she would recover in 16.6 days. The algorithm, nH Predict from NaviHealth, did not account for her severe pain and allergy to pain medicine. She was forced to spend her life savings and enroll in Medicaid while fighting the denial. A federal judge later ruled the denial was speculative and she was owed thousands of dollars.
- Company involved
- Security Health Plan
- AI system involved
- nH Predict
1 source article · read the reporting →
Snapchat not liable for Quick Add connecting 12-year-old to sex offenders
A 12-year-old girl was sexually assaulted after Snapchat's Quick Add feature recommended she connect with convicted sex offenders. Her guardian sued, alleging the algorithm recklessly directed predators to minors. A judge dismissed the case, ruling that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields Snapchat from liability for third-party content and recommendation systems. The decision has sparked debate over platform accountability and child safety.
- Company involved
- Snapchat
- AI system involved
- Quick Add
1 source article · read the reporting →
Clearview AI facial recognition app scrapes billions of images and is used by police
Clearview AI, a secretive start-up, built a facial recognition app that matches photos to a database of more than three billion images scraped from social media and websites. More than 600 law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, have used the tool to identify suspects in crimes such as shoplifting, identity theft and murder. The company monitored officers who ran a reporter's photo through the app, and its founder acknowledged designing an augmented-reality prototype but said there were no plans to release it. Critics warned the tool could end anonymity and enable misuse.
- Company involved
- Clearview AI
- AI system involved
- Clearview AI facial recognition app
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Insurer drops California homeowner after aerial photo analysis
Cindy Picos was dropped by her home insurer after the company used aerial photos to assess her roof. The insurer refused to let her see the photos, and she believes her roof is in fine shape. The incident highlights the growing use of drones and aerial imagery by insurers to inspect properties without in-person visits.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Arizona Unemployment Applicants Required to Submit Facial Recognition
People applying for unemployment benefits in Arizona must verify their identity via facial recognition software provided by ID.me. If the system fails to match a selfie to a photo ID, applicants can be denied benefits unless they successfully complete a video chat with a referee. A class-action lawsuit filed in June 2021 alleges that the practice violates due process rights and discriminates against people of colour.
- Company involved
- Arizona Department of Economic Security
- AI system involved
- ID.me
1 source article · read the reporting →
