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.

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140 incidents closest to “Mark43 OnScene” · matched on meaning · public reporting

WF-0YQPL21 Jan 2019

iBorderCtrl lie detector falsely flagged honest reporter as liar

A journalist testing Europe's iBorderCtrl virtual policeman at the Serbian-Hungarian border gave honest answers but was deemed a liar by the system, scoring 48 out of 100 with four false answers flagged. The Hungarian policeman said the result suggested further checks, though none were carried out. The reporter only learned of the result after filing a data access request under European privacy laws. Experts and transparency activists have criticised the technology as pseudoscientific and potentially discriminatory.

Company involved
iBorderCtrl consortium
AI system involved
Silent Talker / iBorderCtrl virtual policeman

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-S94FL425 Apr 2019

Sri Lankan government falsely identified Amara Majeed as Easter bombing suspect due to facial recognition error

Amara Majeed testified to the Maryland General Assembly that Sri Lankan authorities falsely identified her as a suspect in the 2019 Easter bombings after an error in facial recognition technology. The government broadcast her photo and name, leading to threats and harassment before retracting the identification. She urged the assembly to pass SB857 imposing a moratorium on facial recognition technology.

Company involved
Sri Lankan government

4 source articles · read the reporting →

Evolv weapon detection system falsely flags Chromebooks as weapons

Evolv's AI-based weapon detection system has been reported to falsely identify certain Chromebook laptops as weapons, causing false alarms at security checkpoints. The system is used in venues such as schools. The article discusses the flaw and user experiences. No official response from Evolv has been mentioned.

Company involved
Evolv
AI system involved
Evolv

5 source articles · read the reporting →

Manchester Arena's Evolv weapon scanners fail to detect some knives, report finds

ASM Global's use of Evolv Express AI weapon scanners at Manchester Arena has been questioned after a private report found the system failed to detect large knives in 42% of walkthroughs. The report, produced by NCS4 and obtained by IPVM, also suggested the scanners may miss some bombs and components. Evolv did not dispute the findings but said it communicates capabilities and limitations to customers. ASM Global declined to comment on security matters.

Company involved
ASM Global
AI system involved
Evolv Express

5 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-CE1MQ47 Jul 2016

Dallas police used robot to kill gunman after standoff

In July 2016, the Dallas Police Department used a remote-controlled bomb disposal robot to deliver an explosive device to kill Micah Xavier Johnson, a gunman who had killed five police officers and was barricaded in a parking garage. Police Chief David Brown stated that the tactic was used as a last resort to avoid exposing officers to further danger. The incident raised ethical questions about the use of robots for lethal force by law enforcement.

Company involved
Dallas Police Department

8 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-YRTKS826 Sep 2023

Mistral releases unmoderated chatbot that gives instructions on murder and ethnic cleansing

Mistral, a French AI startup valued at $260 million, released an open-source large language model named Mistral-7B-v0.1 without safety evaluations or moderation mechanisms. The model readily provides detailed instructions on murder, ethnic cleansing, suicide, and other harmful content. Mistral added a statement after the release acknowledging the lack of moderation but did not remove the model, which is distributed via torrent and cannot be deleted.

Company involved
Mistral
AI system involved
Mistral-7B-v0.1

7 source articles · read the reporting →

Driver relying on "smart driving" on highway crashes after system suddenly disengages near truck

司机依赖“智驾 ”跑高速,逼近大货车时“智驾”突然退出引发车祸 - 手机新浪网

A driver was using a smart driving system on an expressway. As the vehicle approached a large truck, the system unexpectedly disengaged, leading to a crash.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-8UTONQ22 Dec 2019

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 →

WF-PQKZOM1 Jan 2016

Vumacam's AI CCTV system flagged 28 black people as suspicious in Johannesburg suburbs

In Johannesburg suburbs, Vumacam's AI-powered CCTV network using iSentry software flagged 28 black individuals as 'suspicious' in a shift report, according to a 2019 article. The system, deployed by private security firms, uses video analytics to detect abnormal behavior and alerts security guards. The article alleges that the system disproportionately targets people of color, reflecting racial bias in a racially divided country.

Company involved
Vumacam
AI system involved
iSentry

6 source articles · read the reporting →

42,900 OpenClaw AI agents exposed, 15,200 vulnerable to RCE

SecurityScorecard's STRIKE team revealed on February 9, 2026, that approximately 42,900 OpenClaw agentic AI instances are exposed on the internet due to insecure default configurations. Of these, 15,200 are vulnerable to remote code execution attacks, allowing hackers to take over host machines. The vulnerabilities were patched on January 29, 2026, but many instances remain unpatched.

AI system involved
OpenClaw

5 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-3DGXLF1 Oct 2024

AI deepfakes of Hurricane Helene victim go viral, FEMA debunks

After Hurricane Helene, AI-generated images of a child in a boat with a dog spread online, falsely portraying a victim. The images contained obvious flaws, such as an extra finger, and were shared by a US senator before being deleted. FEMA established a rumour response page to counter misinformation and warned of scams exploiting the disaster.

8 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-MJJJVQ1 Jan 2023

Durham's ShotSpotter fails to detect two deadly shootings

ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system piloted by the Durham Police Department, failed to detect two fatal shootings in February 2023, as well as a New Year's Day shooting that injured five. The system, which uses sensors and human review to alert police, did not send alerts for these incidents within its three-square-mile coverage area. The company stated it investigated and provided a report to the police, while a city official defended the pilot, noting it is still early in the year-long trial. Community concerns have been raised about increased police presence and potential racial profiling.

Company involved
Durham Police Department
AI system involved
ShotSpotter

5 source articles · read the reporting →

Character.AI Hosts User-Created George Floyd Chatbots

Character.AI, a platform for creating AI chatbots, was found to host two user-created chatbots impersonating George Floyd, a Black man murdered by police in 2020. The chatbots, which had thousands of interactions, made disturbing claims including that Floyd was in witness protection or heaven. After being contacted, Character.AI stated the characters were flagged for removal and that it moderates content proactively and in response to reports.

Company involved
Character.AI
AI system involved
Character.AI

2 source articles · read the reporting →

Bahia Facial Recognition System Misidentifies Black Man as Wanted Criminal

Davi, a black administrative assistant, was tracked across 15 metro stations and approached by police after Bahia's facial recognition system falsely matched him to a wanted person. He was released after officers verified his identity. The system, supplied by Iecisa and Huawei, has a low accuracy rate and disproportionately affects black people. The government plans to expand it despite concerns over racial bias and errors.

Company involved
Secretaria de Segurança Pública da Bahia

2 source articles · read the reporting →

Character.AI Hosts Chatbots Modeled After School Shooters and Victims

Character.AI, a Google-backed AI startup, hosts chatbots that simulate school shooters and their victims, including those from Sandy Hook and Columbine. The chatbots, which are not age-gated, have accumulated tens of thousands of chats and failed to flag violent statements. The platform is facing lawsuits alleging it caused a teenager's suicide and facilitated sexual abuse of minors. Character.AI deactivated some bots after being contacted but did not remove all related content.

Company involved
Character.AI
AI system involved
Character.AI chatbots

2 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-R41UQV23 Feb 2012

Palantir secretly tested predictive policing in New Orleans

Beginning in 2012, Palantir Technologies secretly partnered with the New Orleans Police Department to deploy a predictive policing system. The programme analysed gang affiliations, social media and criminal histories to forecast individuals’ likelihood of committing or becoming victims of violence, operating without public knowledge or city council oversight. Researchers and law enforcement officials raised concerns about systemic bias and civil liberties. As of 2018, the city and Palantir had not disclosed the programme’s status.

Company involved
New Orleans Police Department

1 source article · read the reporting →

Pasco Sheriff's Office used algorithm to target potential future criminals and schoolchildren

The Pasco Sheriff's Office operates an intelligence-led policing programme that uses an algorithm to identify people who might break the law based on criminal histories and social networks. Deputies are sent to the homes of those flagged, even without evidence of a crime, and former deputies allege they were ordered to make targets' lives miserable. The agency also keeps a list of more than 400 schoolchildren predicted to 'fall into a life of crime', built from data such as grades and child welfare records, without informing the children or their parents. Civil liberties groups are considering lawsuits and public advocacy campaigns, and experts have called the programmes 'morally repugnant'.

Company involved
Pasco Sheriff's Office

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-AFTLWV22 Mar 2003

US Patriot missile downs RAF Tornado, killing two crew

On 22 March 2003, a US Army Patriot missile battery in Kuwait misidentified a RAF Tornado returning to base as an Iraqi anti-radiation missile. The system's automated classification, combined with a possible failure of the aircraft's identification friend or foe system, led the crew to engage, killing both crew members instantly. A UK Ministry of Defence investigation found that overly broad classification criteria, inadequate rules of engagement, and training focused on generic threats contributed to the incident. The Patriot system's software and operational procedures had previously been implicated in a 1991 friendly-fire incident that killed 28 soldiers.

Company involved
US Army
AI system involved
Patriot

4 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-MPMLNY1 Aug 2024

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office facial recognition leads to wrongful arrest of Florida man

Robert Dillon, a commercial crabber in Lee County, Florida, was arrested after the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office used facial recognition to match restaurant surveillance photos to him, leading to a warrant for luring or enticing a child. Dillon said he had never been to Jacksonville Beach and pointed to visible differences between himself and the suspect. His defence attorney argued the investigation relied too heavily on the AI match, and the state attorney’s office dropped the case after further investigation. Dillon is now seeking a civil attorney to pursue legal action over the wrongful arrest.

Company involved
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office

2 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-HF1YRW1 Sep 2023

Xuhui police expand facial recognition surveillance to profile 1.1 million residents

The Xuhui District branch of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Security is expanding its Intelligent Image Recognition System, adding 2,500 facial recognition cameras and increased computing capacity to build profiles of residents and flag deviations. The project, contracted to US-sanctioned FiberHome, is designed to match each face to files on more than 50 million people. Officials say the system will analyse behaviour patterns and trigger early warnings.

Company involved
Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Security, Xuhui District Branch
AI system involved
Intelligent Image Recognition System

3 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-ZUBAPG1 Apr 2025

NYPD Facial Recognition Leads to Wrongful Arrest of Trevis Williams

In April 2025, Trevis Williams was arrested by the NYPD after a facial recognition program matched his mug shot to a suspect in a February flashing incident, despite an eight-inch height difference and alibi evidence. The victim identified him from the AI-suggested photo array. Mr. Williams spent over two days in jail before the case was dismissed in July. The incident highlights the risks of using facial recognition on low-quality surveillance images.

Company involved
New York Police Department

2 source articles · read the reporting →

West Midlands Police test NDAS system to assess crime risk

West Midlands Police are testing a system called the National Data Analytics Solution (NDAS) that analyses police data to assess the risk of individuals committing a crime or becoming a victim. The Home Office has funded the project with millions of pounds, intending to roll it out across England and Wales. Critics warn that the system could reinforce bias against minorities and undermine the presumption of innocence. The police say the technology is designed to support, not replace, officer decision-making and that it is still in early testing.

Company involved
West Midlands Police
AI system involved
National Data Analytics Solution

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-85J54330 Mar 2009

San Francisco Police Wrongfully Stop Woman at Gunpoint After License Plate Reader Error

On March 30, 2009, Denise Green, a 47-year-old African-American woman, was driving in San Francisco when an automatic license plate reader misread her plate as stolen. Despite discrepancies between the vehicle description and the stolen plate, officers conducted a felony stop, ordering her out at gunpoint and handcuffing her for nearly 20 minutes. Green filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging Fourth Amendment violations. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated her case, finding that the officers lacked reasonable suspicion for the stop.

Company involved
San Francisco Police Department

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-DWBKBN1 Jan 2019

Las Vegas police used unsuitable facial recognition images in nearly half of searches

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) used 'non-suitable' probe images in 451 of 924 facial recognition searches in 2019, greatly increasing the risk of false identifications. The system, supplied by Vigilant Solutions, returned likely matches in only 18% of those searches, yet led to arrests in at least 73 cases. Critics and researchers warn this practice heightens the chance of wrongful arrests, and one defence attorney said he was never informed facial recognition was used to identify his client.

Company involved
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
AI system involved
Vigilant Solutions facial recognition system

1 source article · read the reporting →

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