The record

Where automated decisions went wrong

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.

Clear

124 incidents closest to “Lighthouse Pricing” · matched on meaning · public reporting

WF-D83EVM2 Nov 2021

Zillow faces securities class action over Zillow Offers wind-down

Zillow Group, Inc. is accused of making false and misleading statements to investors about its Zillow Offers home-flipping business. The company allegedly failed to disclose that its forecasting algorithm was unable to predict home prices accurately, leading to a $304 million inventory write-down and a decision to wind down the business. Investors who bought shares between February 10 and November 2, 2021, suffered losses when the stock price dropped after the announcement. A class action lawsuit has been filed in Washington federal court.

Company involved
Zillow Group, Inc.
AI system involved
Zillow Offers

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-2MHEYD15 Dec 2014

Uber apologises for surge pricing during Sydney siege

During the 2014 Sydney Martin Place siege, Uber's surge pricing algorithm automatically raised fares by up to four times the normal rate as people tried to leave the area. The company faced heavy criticism on social media and later apologised, refunding affected customers and offering free rides. Uber acknowledged that not stopping surge pricing immediately was the wrong decision.

Company involved
Uber

7 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-6LKJQA1 Jan 2022

Instacart used AI to charge different customers different prices for same items

Instacart, a grocery delivery company, was found to have used AI pricing algorithms to charge some customers up to 23% more than others for identical products at the same location. Research by Groundwork Collaborative, Consumer Reports, and More Perfect Union, based on data from 437 shoppers, revealed price fluctuations averaging 7%. Instacart acquired the AI firm Eversight in 2022 and began experimenting with dynamic pricing. The company stated that the tests have ended.

Company involved
Instacart

6 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-QDHS2O15 Feb 2026

Moonwell loses $1.78M after AI-generated code from Claude Opus 4.6 causes oracle pricing error

DeFi lending protocol Moonwell lost $1.78 million after an oracle pricing error in smart contract code partially written by Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6 model. The error valued cbETH at approximately $1.12 per token instead of its actual market price of nearly $2,200, triggering instant liquidations. Moonwell contained the issue by reducing the cbETH borrow cap, but users suffered catastrophic losses. The incident has sparked debate about the risks of AI-generated code in smart contracts.

Company involved
Moonwell
AI system involved
Claude Opus 4.6

4 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-S7REOZ18 May 2026

Herbert Brooks v. Lowes Home Centers LLC (W.D. Louisiana): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Monetary Sanction; CLE

Generated a legal brief with hallucinated case law, filed in court.

AI system involved
Claude

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-UWLN2V6 Mar 2026

Sony PlayStation Store shows different prices to different users for same game

A PlayStation user in the UK noticed that the price of Assassin's Creed Unity increased from £3.74 to £9.99 after signing into their PSN account. Sony has been using dynamic pricing, known as A/B pricing, on the PlayStation Store since November 2025, offering different prices to different users for the same game. The practice is not illegal under EU consumer protection rules, according to the European Commission.

Company involved
Sony
AI system involved
PlayStation Store

5 source articles · read the reporting →

DOJ, Pinnacle reach settlement in RealPage case - Yahoo Finance

The system recommended rent prices to landlords, affecting renters' housing costs.

Company involved
Pinnacle Property Management Services
AI system involved
RealPage

1 source article · read the reporting →

Apple Siri Settlement: How to Claim Up to $95 - Yahoo Finance

Apple Siri Settlement: How to Claim Up to $95 Yahoo Finance

Company involved
Apple
AI system involved
Siri

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-CYHU9Y10 Sep 2025

Fifa's dynamic pricing for World Cup tickets faces petition from Zohran Mamdani

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani launched a petition against Fifa's use of dynamic pricing for World Cup 2026 tickets. The pricing model, which adjusts ticket prices based on demand, is accused of putting profit before fans and making tickets unaffordable for many. Mamdani calls for an end to dynamic pricing, a cap on resale prices, and a set-aside of tickets for local residents. No response from Fifa has been reported.

Company involved
Fifa

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Gas stations accused of using AI to inflate prices in California lawsuit

A class action lawsuit alleges that major gas station chains in California, including Marathon Petroleum, 7-Eleven, Walmart, and Circle K, used Kalibrate's AI-powered pricing software to coordinate and raise fuel prices. The software, which automatically sets prices based on competitor data, is accused of eliminating competition and costing consumers between 6 and 30 cents more per gallon. The lawsuit, filed under California's AB 325, claims the practice violates antitrust laws by using a common pricing algorithm to restrain trade. The case is pending.

Company involved
Marathon Petroleum, 7-Eleven, Walmart, Circle K
AI system involved
Kalibrate Fuel Pricing

10 source articles · read the reporting →

Geico and other insurers charge higher premiums in minority neighborhoods than in white areas with similar risk

ProPublica's analysis of auto insurance premiums in California, Illinois, Texas and Missouri found that major insurers such as Geico, Allstate and Liberty Mutual charge minority neighborhoods up to 30% more than white areas with similar accident costs. The disparity is alleged to result from pricing algorithms that may inadvertently use zip code as a proxy for race. Otis Nash, a 26-year-old Chicagoan, pays $190.69 per month for Geico insurance while a white driver in a safer neighborhood pays $54.67. The insurers deny discrimination, stating they do not collect race data.

Company involved
Geico

5 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-UDZ5S924 Feb 2020

Tinder accused of age discrimination in Tinder Plus pricing

A CHOICE mystery shop found Tinder charging users over 30 up to five times more for Tinder Plus than younger users, with prices ranging from $6.99 to $34.37 per month. An anti-discrimination law expert says this likely breaches Australia's Age Discrimination Act 2004. Tinder did not respond to CHOICE's requests for comment, but settled a similar US lawsuit by stopping age-based pricing in California and compensating affected users.

Company involved
Tinder
AI system involved
Tinder Plus

4 source articles · read the reporting →

Amazon accused of using Project Nessie algorithm to inflate prices

Amazon is accused of using a secret algorithm called Project Nessie to inflate prices on its platform. The algorithm monitored competitors' prices and raised its own, then reverted if rivals didn't follow. The practice was revealed through an FTC lawsuit. Amazon says it scrapped the program in 2019 and denies wrongdoing.

Company involved
Amazon
AI system involved
Project Nessie

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-O519OD1 Mar 2023

BetterHelp settles FTC charges over sharing mental health data with advertisers

Mozilla's review of mental health apps found that many, including BetterHelp, had poor privacy and security practices. BetterHelp was accused of improperly sharing customers' sensitive data with advertisers like Facebook and Snapchat after promising to keep it private. The company agreed to pay $7.8 million to settle FTC charges. The incident highlights ongoing privacy concerns in the mental health app market.

Company involved
BetterHelp
AI system involved
BetterHelp

4 source articles · read the reporting →

Prisma Labs wins arbitration in Lensa biometric privacy lawsuit

Artificial intelligence company Prisma Labs is accused of violating Illinois' biometric privacy law by collecting facial geometry data from users of its Lensa app. A proposed class action was filed, but a California federal judge granted Prisma's motion to compel arbitration because users agreed to it during sign-up. The plaintiff alleges the app collected his facial data without consent.

Company involved
Prisma Labs Inc.
AI system involved
Lensa AI

8 source articles · read the reporting →

Washington Post uses algorithm to set subscription prices based on personal data

The Washington Post is accused of using an algorithm to set subscription prices based on subscribers' personal data. Some subscribers received emails stating that their new price was determined by an algorithm using their personal data. The practice, known as surveillance pricing, has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers who have proposed legislation to ban it.

Company involved
Washington Post

6 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-XV5P501 Oct 2015

Amazon Buy Box algorithm accused of overcharging UK consumers by £1 billion

Consumer champion Robert Hammond has filed a collective proceedings order application against Amazon in the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal. The claim alleges that Amazon's Buy Box algorithm manipulated search results to favour products more profitable for Amazon, obscuring cheaper alternatives and causing approximately 49.4 million UK consumers to overpay by more than £1 billion between October 2015 and June 2020. The algorithm determined the first-ranked item in the Buy Box, which consumers accepted over 80% of the time. The case is pending, and similar investigations by the Italian Competition Authority and the UK Competition and Markets Authority are ongoing.

Company involved
Amazon
AI system involved
Buy Box algorithm

5 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-RODNM31 Mar 2020

UK government's Spotlight algorithm denies funding to independent cinemas

The UK government's Culture Recovery Fund used an automated due diligence tool called Spotlight, designed by the Cabinet Office, to process grant applications. The algorithm is accused of excluding smaller, community-focused independent cinemas and arts organizations in favour of larger institutions, a practice the article describes as automated cultural elitism. The National Audit Office has confirmed the criteria, and Arts Council England is investigating cases of potential fraud, while many venues report struggling to survive.

Company involved
UK Government Cabinet Office
AI system involved
Spotlight

6 source articles · read the reporting →

Patagonia Targeted by Privacy Class Action for Use of Customer Service AI Software - Law.com

The system intercepted, recorded, and mined data from customer service calls, affecting customers' privacy.

Company involved
Patagonia
AI system involved
Talkdesk

1 source article · read the reporting →

MAJOR LAWSUIT ALERT!: Home Depot And Google Facing CIPA Lawsuit For Use Of Google’s Cloud Contact Center AI - natlawreview.com

The system recorded and transcribed customer service calls without consent, affecting the privacy of callers.

Company involved
Home Depot
AI system involved
Google Cloud Contact Center AI

1 source article · read the reporting →

Not Again! A Second Talkdesk Customer Is Sued for Its Use of Contact Center AI - cxtoday.com

The system intercepted, recorded, and analyzed the communications of LegalShield customers without their consent.

Company involved
LegalShield
AI system involved
Talkdesk CCaaS

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-16331NKorean

[FSD On-road] Tesla: 2 Minor Accidents in Korea, Repair Costs Up to 6.97 Million Won

[FSD 온로드] 테슬라 “국내 경미사고 2건…수리비 최대 697만원” - 블로터

Tesla reported two minor accidents involving its vehicles in South Korea. The repair costs reached up to 6.97 million won. The information was published by Bloter.

Company involved
Tesla
AI system involved
FSD

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-4C6DG26 Oct 2026Arabic

McDonald's Sued for Using AI to Manipulate Menu Prices

تُقاضى شركة ماكدونالدز لاستخدامها الذكاء الاصطناعي للتلاعب بأسعار قوائم الطعام. - Vietnam.vn

McDonald's is facing a class-action lawsuit in the US alleging it used an AI-powered pricing system to coordinate menu prices across franchises, potentially violating antitrust laws. The company denies the claims, stating that franchisees still determine their own prices and that the tools are common in the industry.

Company involved
McDonald's

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-8FUI7G10 Feb 2026

Wrightsville Beach police officer indicted on Flock camera misuse - WITN

The officer accessed vehicle registration information of individuals without a legitimate law enforcement purpose.

Company involved
Wrightsville Beach Police Department
AI system involved
Flock

1 source article · read the reporting →

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