Facebook's policy change brought partisan content back to Georgia feeds
The Markup investigated Facebook's decision to lift its political ad ban in Georgia ahead of the Senate runoff elections. The study found that after December 16, partisan campaign content and misinformation displaced traditional news sources in users' feeds. Facebook acknowledged the change but did not reverse it.
- Company involved
- Facebook
- AI system involved
- Facebook News Feed
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Faces of the Riot publishes extracted faces from Parler Capitol riot videos
The website Faces of the Riot used open source facial recognition software to extract and publish over 6,000 faces from Parler videos of the January 6 Capitol riot. The creator, an anonymous college student, aimed to help identify participants in the insurrection. The site has been criticised for privacy violations and potential vigilante misuse. The creator says they are working to remove non-rioter faces.
- Company involved
- Faces of the Riot
- AI system involved
- Faces of the Riot
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Qoves facial assessment tool ranks journalist's attractiveness and suggests procedures
Tate Ryan-Mosley, a journalist at MIT Technology Review, used Qoves Studio's AI facial assessment tool, which automatically scored her face and listed perceived flaws such as smile lines and under-eye bags. The tool recommended skin-care products and paid surgical consultation reports. She also tried Megvii's Face++ beauty-scoring system, which gave her two percentage attractiveness scores. The article raises concerns that such algorithms are inaccurate, biased and not transparently used by social media platforms.
- Company involved
- Qoves Studio
- AI system involved
- Facial Assessment Tool
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Facebook lifts ban on Newfoundland seed advertisement after AI flagged it as sexual
Facebook's AI content moderation system banned an advertisement for seeds from The Seed Company by E.W. Gaze, deeming the image of onions as 'overtly sexual'. The company contacted Facebook, and the ban was lifted after human review. Facebook apologized for the error.
- Company involved
- Facebook
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Huawei and Megvii tested Uyghur alarm facial recognition system
Huawei and Megvii conducted an interoperability test in 2018 that verified a 'Uyghur alarm' function in Megvii's facial recognition system, according to a confidential report found by IPVM. The system could identify Uyghur minorities and alert police. Huawei denied real-world application and deleted the report after IPVM inquired. Megvii denied targeting ethnic groups. The test report was publicly accessible on Huawei's European website.
- Company involved
- Huawei
- AI system involved
- Megvii Dynamic Face Recognition
10 source articles · read the reporting →
TikTok's beauty filter changed users' faces without their consent
TikTok users reported that the app applied an unwanted beauty filter to their videos, altering the shape of their faces. The effect, which appeared on some Android devices, could not be turned off and caused distress, including gender dysphoria for one user. TikTok acknowledged the issue and said it had been resolved, but did not explain the cause.
- Company involved
- TikTok
- AI system involved
- TikTok's beauty filter
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Plastic Forte fined for using facial recognition on workers without notice
The Spanish data protection agency AEPD fined Plastic Forte, a plastics manufacturer in Alicante, €20,000 for using facial recognition to record employees' working hours without informing them. A worker requested information about his personal data and discovered the biometric processing. The company initially argued it was only for time tracking but later acknowledged responsibility, resulting in a reduced fine of €12,000. The AEPD deemed facial recognition for time control as highly intrusive and requiring prior impact assessment.
- Company involved
- Plastic Forte
7 source articles · read the reporting →
CBSA tested facial recognition on millions at Toronto Pearson Airport in 2016
In 2016, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) secretly tested facial recognition technology on millions of travellers at Toronto Pearson Airport without their knowledge. The system, supplied by Face4 Systems, matched faces against a database of previously deported individuals. The CBSA stated that no one was deported as a result of the pilot, and the technology was removed after six months. Privacy advocates raised concerns about lack of consent, transparency, and potential racial bias.
- Company involved
- Canada Border Services Agency
- AI system involved
- Faces on the Move
8 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 →
Facebook fined for using facial recognition without consent in South Korea
Facebook created and stored facial recognition templates of 200,000 South Korean users without their consent between April 2018 and September 2019. South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) fined Facebook $5.5 million and ordered it to destroy the collected data and obtain proper consent. The PIPC also fined Netflix and issued a warning to Google for other privacy violations.
- Company involved
- Facebook
- AI system involved
- Facial recognition system
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Facebook AI mislabels video of Black men as Primates
Facebook's AI recommendation system labeled a video of Black men with a prompt asking users if they wanted to keep seeing videos about Primates. The social network apologized for the 'unacceptable error' and disabled the feature. The incident highlights ongoing issues with racial bias in AI systems.
- Company involved
- Facebook
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Douyin content creator used deepfake to fake Ukraine soldier identity
A content creator on Douyin used deepfake technology to pretend to be a Chechen soldier in Ukraine, posting fabricated videos for months. The account gained nearly 400,000 followers and sold items via e-commerce. Users discovered the IP address was in Henan, China, revealing the deception. Douyin suspended the account for spreading misinformation and banned it from making money.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
FTC settles with IntelliVision over deceptive facial recognition claims
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took action against IntelliVision Technologies Corp. for making false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims about its AI-powered facial recognition software. The company allegedly claimed its software had one of the highest accuracy rates on the market and was free of gender or racial bias, without supporting evidence. The FTC also alleged that IntelliVision did not train its software on millions of faces as claimed, but on images of approximately 100,000 individuals. Under a proposed consent order, IntelliVision is prohibited from making such misrepresentations without competent and reliable testing.
- Company involved
- IntelliVision Technologies Corp.
- AI system involved
- IntelliVision facial recognition software
9 source articles · read the reporting →
ScaleFactor reportedly failed to deliver promised automated bookkeeping software
ScaleFactor, an Austin-based startup, is reported to have failed to deliver the automated, real-time bookkeeping tools it promised customers, instead relying on human bookkeepers and a Filipino contract accounting firm. The company told Forbes in June that it was shutting down, initially blaming the pandemic, but Forbes later reported that its problems predated Covid-19. Investors reportedly came to see the company as more of a services business than a software platform, and pulled funding after a pivot to a marketplace model. No legal or regulatory action is reported.
- Company involved
- ScaleFactor
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Face recognition bypass used to register shell companies for tax fraud in Shanghai
In a major tax fraud case in Shanghai, criminals used face recognition cracking techniques to register shell companies on government platforms. They purchased high-resolution photos and used apps to create fake videos, then used modified phones to bypass face recognition authentication. The scheme resulted in fraudulent invoices totaling over 500 million yuan. The case was prosecuted by the Shanghai procuratorate.
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Deep-Live-Cam enables real-time face swapping, raising fraud concerns
A software package called Deep-Live-Cam has gone viral for enabling real-time face swapping on webcams using a single photo. The tool, which is free and open source, allows anyone to impersonate another person's appearance in a video chat, raising concerns about remote deception and fraud. The article notes that similar technology has been used in a $25 million heist in Hong Kong and in audio deepfake scams.
- AI system involved
- Deep-Live-Cam
7 source articles · read the reporting →
New Jersey court rules police must disclose facial recognition algorithms used to identify defendant
Francisco Arteaga was charged with armed robbery after a facial recognition search by the New York Police Department identified him as a possible match. The New Jersey police used this match to obtain witness identifications. Arteaga requested information about the facial recognition software, including its source code and error rate, but the trial court denied his request. The New Jersey appellate court ruled that the prosecution must disclose the algorithms, citing due process and the Brady rule.
- Company involved
- New Jersey Police
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Deepfake of Bella Hadid misrepresents her statements on Israel
A deepfake video of model Bella Hadid was circulated on social media, making it appear she apologized for past remarks and expressed support for Israel. The clip was actually a manipulated version of a 2016 speech she gave about her battle with Lyme disease. AFP fact-checked the video and identified it as a deepfake based on visual clues and reverse image search.
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Dahua facial recognition technology can sort by race and alert police when detecting Uighurs
Dahua Technologies, a Chinese surveillance camera company, developed facial recognition software that can classify individuals by race and send real-time warnings to police when it identifies Uighur people. Documents and code revealed the capability, though it is unclear if it has been deployed. Human rights advocates and Uighur individuals have expressed concern about potential surveillance and discrimination. The company did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Dahua Technologies
- AI system involved
- Dahua facial recognition software
10 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 →
Five Illinois residents sue facial recognition company Pimeyes under BIPA
Five Illinois residents are suing Pimeyes, a facial recognition search engine, alleging that the company violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by collecting and using their facial data without consent. The lawsuit claims that Pimeyes made the residents' photos and information available in search results, enabling unauthorized access. The company has not yet been served with the lawsuit, and its CEO stated he had no prior knowledge of the case.
- Company involved
- Pimeyes
- AI system involved
- Pimeyes
7 source articles · read the reporting →
City analyst Michael Hewson cloned in AI deepfake scam on social media
A deepfake video using AI to impersonate City analyst Michael Hewson circulated on Facebook and Instagram, directing users to a WhatsApp group promising undervalued investments. The scam used fear-of-missing-out tactics to lure victims. Hewson publicly disavowed the video and reported it to Meta, expressing anger.
- Company involved
- Meta
4 source articles · read the reporting →
PimEyes facial recognition used to unmask porn actors and Facebook friends
A man used the facial recognition site PimEyes to identify porn actors and women from his Facebook friends by uploading their photos and finding matching images online. The system had no controls to prevent searching for others without consent. The article alleges that this invasion of privacy could lead to discrimination and harassment, and that PimEyes offered a paid service to remove photos but did not prevent the searches.
- Company involved
- PimEyes
- AI system involved
- PimEyes
3 source articles · read the reporting →
N-Tech.lab's FindFace used to identify St Petersburg metro passengers without consent
Egor Tsvetkov photographed passengers on the St Petersburg metro without their permission and used N-Tech.lab's facial recognition service FindFace to match their faces to public Vkontakte profiles. He published the results in an art project called 'Your Face is Big Data', saying he wanted to show how 'digital narcissism' can lead to stalking. Privacy advocates said the project was ethically problematic because the subjects had not consented and their identities were exposed. FindFace had been launched by N-Tech.lab in February 2016.
- Company involved
- N-Tech.lab
- AI system involved
- FindFace
8 source articles · read the reporting →
