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.
113 incidents closest to “Khan Academy” · matched on meaning · public reporting
A Sky News investigation found that X's algorithm amplifies right-wing and extreme content. The Data and Forensics team conducted a nine-month investigation into the platform's recommendation system. The findings indicate that the algorithm boosts such content, potentially influencing political discourse in the UK.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
An internal Facebook program called XCheck granted special treatment to millions of high-profile users, including former President Donald Trump and Senator Elizabeth Warren, exempting them from content enforcement rules. The program, initially for quality control, was expanded to whitelist users deemed newsworthy or PR-risky, with the system failing to enforce rules against them. Internal documents revealed that the program made mistakes, often wrongly taking action against high-profile users. Facebook has attempted to phase out the practice but has struggled.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
A study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that YouTube's recommendation algorithm pushes eating disorder and self-harm content to teen girls. When users show interest in weight loss, nearly 70% of recommended videos worsen body image anxieties. Two teen girls interviewed by CBS News say the platform's recommendations contributed to their anorexia, leading to hospitalizations and long-term treatment. YouTube says it works with experts to refine its approach, but the study found that only 18 of 100 flagged harmful videos were removed or age-restricted. Lawsuits allege YouTube knowingly perpetuates eating disorders.
1 source article · read the reporting →
OpenAI contracted Sama, a data labeling company, to employ Kenyan workers to review and label graphic text depicting child sexual abuse, murder, and other traumatic content. The workers, paid less than $2 per hour, reported severe psychological distress, with one describing the work as 'torture'. Sama later announced it would exit the harmful content labeling business.
8 source articles · read the reporting →
YouTube's recommendation algorithm and automated content generation systems have been producing and promoting disturbing videos targeting children. These videos, often generated by bots using keyword stuffing and stock animations, include frightening and abusive content. The article alleges that the platform's automated systems, without human oversight, systematically traumatise children at scale.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
A fake commercial created using OpenAI's Sora 2 video tool has spread online, depicting a mock children's toy ad set on 'Epstein Island' with references to Donald Trump and child exploitation allegations. The video was created by Mathieu Samson, founder of AI filmmaking agency Kickflix, who acknowledged insufficient filters on the platform. OpenAI has not yet responded to the incident.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Google's AI Overview search feature repeatedly advised parents to smear actual human faeces on balloons when teaching children to wipe themselves. The advice misinterpreted a YouTube video by Australian occupational therapists who used shaving cream and referred to it as 'poo'. Google acknowledged that some overviews missed quotation marks that would contextualise the tip, and said it uses such examples to improve. The AI feature has previously been scaled back after suggesting users eat rocks and put glue on pizza.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Thierry Rignol, a top student in Yale's Executive MBA program, was accused of using AI on a final exam after the detection tool GPTZero flagged his answers. Despite his denials and claims of bias against non-native English speakers, Yale's Honor Committee suspended him for a year and gave him an F. Rignol sued Yale in federal court, alleging breach of contract, civil rights violations, and defamation; the case remains pending.
1 source article · read the reporting →
BBC journalists found over 50 YouTube channels using generative AI to create false scientific videos disguised as educational content. YouTube's recommendation algorithm suggested these videos to children alongside legitimate content. Children who watched the videos believed the false information, such as alien conspiracies and electric pyramids. YouTube said it was committed to removing misinformation but did not comment on advertising revenue from the misleading videos.
3 source articles · read the reporting →
In March 2019, a terrorist killed 51 worshippers in two New Zealand mosques. A New Zealand government report found that YouTube's recommendation algorithm was a significant source of radicalization for the shooter, who regularly watched extremist content. YouTube has since taken steps to remove hate speech content but researchers say the underlying business model and opaque algorithms still enable radicalization.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Researchers at Keele University trained an AI to classify behaviors of children with autism by scraping YouTube videos uploaded by parents and advocacy groups. The children and parents did not consent to their videos being used for research. The researchers stated that the software does not identify individuals but only reads body language. The study raises privacy concerns.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
The Historical Figures Chat app, developed by Sidhant Chaddha, allows users to chat with simulated deceased historical figures. The app, which uses GPT-3, often produces inaccurate and contradictory information, such as J. Edgar Hoover incorrectly stating his mother died when he was nine, and Tupac Shakur claiming his friendship with Notorious B.I.G. continued after his death. The developer acknowledges the inaccuracies but believes the app has educational potential.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Minneapolis Public Schools deployed Gaggle, an AI-powered surveillance system, to monitor students' school-issued Google and Microsoft accounts during remote learning. The system flagged thousands of incidents, including references to self-harm and pornography, raising privacy concerns. Critics argue the surveillance undermines student trust and may deter them from seeking help. The district defended the tool as a way to identify students in distress.
9 source articles · read the reporting →
YouTube's search autofill algorithm suggested pedophiliac phrases such as 'how to have s*x with your kids' to users searching for 'how to have'. Dozens of users reported the disturbing results. YouTube acknowledged the issue, removed the autocomplete suggestions, and said it is investigating the cause, which may be a coordinated trolling campaign.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Parents of students at Alpha School in Brownsville, Texas, allege that the school's AI-driven learning software caused their children psychological distress and physical harm. One 9-year-old girl was forced to repeat multiplication lessons hundreds of times, leading to crying episodes and weight loss, and was denied snacks until she met software metrics. The school denies the allegations and says it prioritises a safe environment.
5 source articles · read the reporting →
A Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google liable for intentionally building addictive platforms that harmed Kaley's mental health from childhood. The 20-year-old was awarded $6m in damages, with the companies saying they will appeal. Kaley had used Instagram from age nine and YouTube from age six, and spent up to 16 hours a day on Instagram.
5 source articles · read the reporting →
TikTok's algorithm recommended thousands of suicide-promoting videos to Chase Nasca, a high school student from New York, who died by suicide. The Nasca family alleges that TikTok's algorithm intentionally sent these videos to maximize engagement, despite Chase not searching for such content. The family has filed a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, claiming the algorithm caused Chase's death.
7 source articles · read the reporting →
