ViaQuatro's facial recognition system in São Paulo metro challenged in court
In April 2018, ViaQuatro installed the Digital Interactive Doors System, developed by AdMobilize, on the São Paulo metro's yellow line. The system used cameras to detect passengers' faces and claimed to infer their emotion, age, and gender in order to target advertisements. The Brazilian Institute of Consumer Protection (IDEC) filed a public civil action alleging that the system violated consumer and data protection laws by processing biometric data without consent and making pseudoscientific and discriminatory inferences. A judge ordered the cameras removed in August 2018, and the case is pending a final ruling.
- Company involved
- ViaQuatro
- AI system involved
- Digital Interactive Doors System (DID system)
10 source articles · read the reporting →
PwC develops facial recognition tool to monitor employees working from home
Accounting giant PwC has developed a facial recognition tool that logs when employees are absent from their computer screens while working from home. The tool, intended for financial institutions, requires workers to provide written reasons for any absences, including toilet breaks. Commentators have criticised the tool as a huge invasion of privacy, with concerns about damage to trust and increased stress. PwC stated that the technology is designed to help regulated institutions meet compliance obligations and that voluntary consent of traders is essential.
- Company involved
- PwC
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Serbia's Ministry of Interior deploys thousands of Huawei facial recognition cameras in Belgrade
In early 2019, Serbia's Ministry of Interior announced the deployment of a thousand smart surveillance cameras with facial and license plate recognition capabilities, supplied by Huawei, across Belgrade. The Ministry refused to release information about the project, citing confidentiality, and failed to conduct a legally required Data Protection Impact Assessment. Citizens responded by crowdsourcing camera locations via the hashtag #hiljadekamera and a website. The system remains in operation with no public debate or transparency.
- Company involved
- Ministry of Interior
- AI system involved
- Huawei smart surveillance cameras
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Hamburg deployed mass surveillance for G20 Summit
The city of Hamburg planned to use predictive policing software and facial recognition cameras for mass surveillance during the G20 Summit in July 2017. The surveillance was enforced by paramilitary means, creating a democracy-free zone. DiEM25 wrote an open letter to the Senate of Hamburg to protest the measures.
- Company involved
- Senate of Hamburg
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Unity faces employee concerns over military contract transparency
An investigation by Vice Games reported that Unity Technologies is not transparent with its developers about military contracts. Employees allege some are unaware their work on AI tools may become part of Department of Defense projects. CEO John Riccitiello stated the company will not support programs that violate its principles, but sources say many staff are angry. Unity said it cannot police all uses of its engine as it is a tool available to anyone.
- Company involved
- Unity Technologies
- AI system involved
- Unity engine
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Australian police trial facial recognition for COVID quarantine compliance
Australian police in New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia are trialling facial recognition software from Genvis to monitor people in home quarantine. Individuals are required to take selfies when randomly checked, and the software verifies their location and identity. Privacy advocates and the UN have raised concerns about surveillance overreach and potential human rights violations. The trials are voluntary, but critics warn of inaccuracies and mission creep.
- Company involved
- New South Wales Police Force, Victoria Police, Western Australia Police
- AI system involved
- Genvis facial recognition software
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Singapore deploys Xavier robots to patrol public areas for rule-breaking
Singapore's Home Team Science and Technology Agency has deployed Xavier robots to patrol Toa Payoh Central. The robots use AI to detect 'undesirable social behaviours' including gatherings of more than five people, smoking in prohibited areas, illegal hawking, improperly parked bicycles, and mobility devices on footpaths. When detected, the robots alert their command centre and display educational messages. The three-week trial aims to reduce the need for physical patrols by human officers.
- Company involved
- Singapore Home Team Science and Technology Agency
- AI system involved
- Xavier
8 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 →
Met Police buys £3m retrospective facial recognition system
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has awarded a £3 million, four-year contract to Northgate Public Services for a new retrospective facial-recognition (RFR) system to be deployed within three months. RFR processes biometric information from historic CCTV, social media, and other images to identify suspects and missing persons, operating retroactively unlike live facial recognition. The procurement was approved by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime in August 2021. The MPS states that human-in-the-loop decision-making will be used, but digital rights groups and a former biometrics commissioner have raised concerns about potential discrimination, overrepresentation of marginalised groups in watch lists, and lack of a legislative framework.
- Company involved
- Metropolitan Police Service
- AI system involved
- Retrospective facial-recognition software
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Apple's Enhanced Visual Search raises privacy concerns over default data sharing
Apple's iOS 18 update introduced an 'Enhanced Visual Search' feature that automatically shares encrypted photo data with Apple to identify landmarks. The feature is enabled by default, requiring users to manually opt out, which has sparked privacy concerns. Critics argue it should be opt-in, given Apple's usual privacy standards. The article reports on the feature's design and the resulting debate, not on any specific harm to an individual.
- Company involved
- Apple
- AI system involved
- Enhanced Visual Search
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 →
Bavarian police test Palantir data mining with real personal data
The Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (LKA) has been testing Palantir's data mining software, called VeRa, with real personal data for months. The Bavarian data protection commissioner only learned of the test through a media inquiry and has announced a review. The Interior Ministry claims the test is lawful under current law, but critics argue a legal basis is missing.
- Company involved
- Bayerisches Landeskriminalamt
- AI system involved
- VeRa
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Seoul Metropolitan Government rolls out AI CCTV cameras to prevent suicides
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has rolled out AI-enabled CCTV cameras on Han River bridges to identify people at risk of suicide. The system uses deep learning to analyse behavioural patterns and alerts rescue teams. Experts and Privacy International have raised concerns that it is invasive and could be misused because it captures biometric data without explicit consent. The article also considers whether such technology could be implemented in India.
- Company involved
- Seoul Metropolitan Government
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Network Rail denies using AI cameras to detect passengers' emotions
Network Rail conducted a trial of AI cameras at major stations in 2022 that analysed demographic details and reportedly assessed emotions. Documents obtained by Big Brother Watch indicate the system was capable of determining whether a passenger was happy, sad or angry, with potential use for measuring satisfaction and advertising. Network Rail denied that any emotion analysis took place and stated the image analysis for demographic details has ended. Big Brother Watch has submitted a complaint to the Information Commissioner about the trial.
- Company involved
- Network Rail
- AI system involved
- Amazon Rekognition
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Geologists raise censorship and bias concerns over IUGS-backed GeoGPT chatbot
Geologists, particularly in developing countries, have raised concerns that GeoGPT, an AI chatbot backed by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and developed under the Deep-time Digital Earth programme, may censor or bias geological information. Tests with its underlying AI, Qwen, developed by Alibaba, reportedly produced evasive or inadequate answers to sensitive questions. The IUGS and DDE deny state influence, saying the information is purely geoscientific, and have said the database will be made public once governance is ensured.
- Company involved
- International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and Deep-time Digital Earth (DDE) program
- AI system involved
- GeoGPT (underlying AI: Qwen)
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Oxford Town Centre CCTV dataset used without consent for AI research
The Oxford Town Centre dataset is a CCTV video of pedestrians in Oxford, England, captured from a public surveillance camera without the knowledge or consent of the approximately 2,200 people shown. The footage was used in over 60 research projects, including commercial research by Amazon, Disney, and Huawei, for developing facial recognition, sex classification, and social distancing algorithms. The dataset was taken down in June 2020, but no remediation was provided to the individuals depicted.
- Company involved
- University of Oxford
- AI system involved
- Oxford Town Centre dataset
5 source articles · read the reporting →
UCCS professor secretly photographed over 1,700 people for facial recognition research
A University of Colorado Colorado Springs professor, Terrance Boult, led a project that secretly photographed more than 1,700 students, faculty, and passers-by on campus in 2012-2013 to improve facial recognition technology. The photos were published as a public dataset from 2016 until April 2019. University officials defended the research, but a law professor questioned the ethics of the surveillance without consent.
- Company involved
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Parking Enforcement Services wrongly fines parents due to faulty licence plate cameras
Dozens of parents at a Christchurch childcare centre were wrongly issued $85 parking fines by Parking Enforcement Services after its licence plate recognition cameras failed to accurately capture multiple short visits. The company acknowledged some misreads and waived fines on appeal, but parents described the process as stressful and time-consuming. An additional camera was installed to improve accuracy.
- Company involved
- Parking Enforcement Services
1 source article · read the reporting →
Paradox security vulnerability exposed candidate data to researchers
On June 30, 2025, security researchers discovered a vulnerability in Paradox's test account that allowed access to chat interaction records. The researchers viewed five candidates' personal information including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and IP addresses. Paradox fixed the issue within hours and stated that no data was leaked publicly. The company has since implemented new security measures.
- Company involved
- Paradox
- AI system involved
- Paradox conversational AI platform
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Delhi Police use facial recognition to screen PM Modi rally attendees
Delhi Police used an Automated Facial Recognition System (AFRS) to screen crowds at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on December 22, 2019. The system, originally installed to find missing children, was used to identify possible disruptions. Privacy advocates called the move illegal and unconstitutional, saying it amounts to mass surveillance. Police defended the use, citing credible intelligence about possible disruptions.
- Company involved
- Delhi Police
- AI system involved
- Automated Facial Recognition System (AFRS)
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Audit of RisCanvi finds biases and reliability issues in criminal justice system
Eticas conducted an adversarial audit of RisCanvi, an AI risk assessment tool used in Catalonia's criminal justice system. The audit uncovered biases in risk classifications against specific demographics and significant reliability issues. The findings call for fairer practices in criminal justice AI.
- Company involved
- Catalonia's criminal justice system
- AI system involved
- RisCanvi
4 source articles · read the reporting →
GoLaxy Used AI to Manipulate Public Opinion in Hong Kong and Taiwan
The Chinese company GoLaxy used an AI system called Smart Propaganda System (GoPro) to monitor and manipulate public opinion in Hong Kong and Taiwan, according to internal documents. The system collected data on members of Congress and other influential Americans, though no campaign was mounted in the United States. GoLaxy denied the allegations, calling them misinformation. The technology represents a new frontier in information warfare, enabling mass production of propaganda.
- Company involved
- GoLaxy
- AI system involved
- Smart Propaganda System (GoPro)
2 source articles · read the reporting →
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 involved
- Philip Morris International
- AI system involved
- Your Voice, Your Choice
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Italian DPA fines Municipality of Trento over AI surveillance projects
The Italian data protection authority (Garante) fined the Municipality of Trento €50,000 for two research projects, Marvel and Protector, that used AI to analyze video, audio, and social media data for public security purposes. The projects involved automated detection of risk events from surveillance cameras and microphones in public spaces, as well as monitoring social media for hate speech. The Garante found multiple violations of privacy law, including lack of a valid legal basis, insufficient anonymization, failure to conduct a data protection impact assessment, and inadequate transparency. The municipality is required to delete the unlawfully processed data.
- Company involved
- Comune di Trento
- AI system involved
- Marvel and Protector
9 source articles · read the reporting →
