WHO's health chatbot SARAH gives inconsistent and potentially harmful advice
The World Health Organization's AI chatbot SARAH, designed to provide health advice, was found by POLITICO to give contradictory and sometimes unhelpful responses. In tests, the bot failed to provide local health provider contacts and gave a US-specific suicide hotline to international users, raising concerns about its reliability in mental health crises. Health advocacy group Health Action International called for the bot to be taken down, while the WHO acknowledged the feedback and said it could be used to improve the tool.
- Company involved
- World Health Organization
- AI system involved
- SARAH
1 source article · read the reporting →
Dahua Exposed for Uyghur Tracking Software in Surveillance Systems
Dahua Technology's publicly available SDK was found to contain code for detecting Uyghur ethnicity, enabling Chinese police to covertly track the persecuted minority. The revelation led to widespread criticism, and Dahua removed the SDK after being contacted by IPVM but did not comment. The company had previously been sanctioned by the US for complicity in human rights abuses against Uyghurs, and its software is part of a massive surveillance apparatus in Xinjiang.
- Company involved
- Dahua Technology
- AI system involved
- Dahua SDK
1 source article · read the reporting →
NEDA Fires Helpline Staff, Replaces Them with Chatbot After Unionization
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) fired four full-time helpline staff and announced the shutdown of its 20-year-old helpline, replacing it with a chatbot named Tessa. The staff had recently unionized and won an NLRB election, leading to allegations that the move was union busting. NEDA claims the chatbot, a rule-based system developed by Washington University, is a separate program to better serve the community, but the union and critics argue it cannot replace human empathy and may cause irreparable harm. The helpline is set to end on June 1, 2023, with volunteers asked to become testers for the chatbot.
- Company involved
- National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
- AI system involved
- Tessa
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Imperial College AI stethoscope falsely identified heart failure in two-thirds of flagged patients
Researchers at Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust have developed an AI-powered stethoscope that analyses heart rhythms and performs an ECG, sending results to a doctor's smartphone. A study of more than 12,000 patients across the UK found that two-thirds of patients flagged as having heart failure did not actually have the condition. The researchers acknowledged that the false positives could cause unnecessary anxiety, and many GP surgeries stopped using or barely used the device after 12 months. The team plans to deploy the stethoscope more widely.
- Company involved
- Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Google AI Overviews provide misleading health advice, risking harm
A Guardian investigation found that Google's AI Overviews, which use generative AI to summarize search results, provided inaccurate health information. Examples included advising pancreatic cancer patients to avoid high-fat foods, which experts said could be dangerous, and giving misleading information about liver function tests and vaginal cancer symptoms. Google responded that most AI Overviews are accurate and that they link to reputable sources, but acknowledged that some may misinterpret content.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- AI Overviews
5 source articles · read the reporting →
New Meta smart glasses class action gives employers a reason to write the policy they've been puttin - hcamag.com
The smart glasses recorded bystanders without their consent and sent the footage to Meta for AI training.
- Company involved
- Meta Platforms
- AI system involved
- Meta AI-enabled Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses
1 source article · read the reporting →
Spanish data regulator orders Worldcoin to stop processing biometric data in Spain
The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) has ordered a precautionary measure against Tools for Humanity Corporation, the company behind Worldcoin, to cease collection and processing of personal data in Spain. The AEPD received complaints alleging insufficient information, collection of data from minors, and inability to withdraw consent. The regulator acted under GDPR Article 66.1 to prevent potentially irreparable harm to individuals' data protection rights.
- Company involved
- Tools for Humanity Corporation
- AI system involved
- Worldcoin
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Abbott issues correction for FreeStyle Libre 3 sensors over incorrect glucose readings
Abbott initiated a medical device correction for certain FreeStyle Libre 3 and Libre 3 Plus sensors after internal testing found they might give incorrect low glucose readings. The company says the issue stems from one production line and could lead to improper treatment decisions for people with diabetes. Abbott is replacing affected sensors at no charge and has reported severe adverse events and deaths potentially associated with the issue.
- Company involved
- Abbott
- AI system involved
- FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors
2 source articles · read the reporting →
DFFH breaches privacy by using ChatGPT in child protection report
A child protection worker at the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) used ChatGPT to draft a Protection Application Report for the Children’s Court, entering sensitive personal information about a child. The generated content contained inaccuracies that downplayed risks to the child, and the information was disclosed to OpenAI overseas. An investigation by the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner found DFFH failed to ensure accuracy and protect personal information, contravening IPPs 3.1 and 4.1. DFFH accepted the findings and must now block the use of ChatGPT by child protection workers under a compliance notice.
- Company involved
- Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
9 source articles · read the reporting →
FTC orders WW International and Kurbo to delete children's data and pay $1.5m penalty
The US Federal Trade Commission alleged that WW International, formerly Weight Watchers, and its subsidiary Kurbo illegally collected personal and health data from children under 13 through the Kurbo by WW weight-loss app without parental consent. The complaint said the signup process encouraged children to lie about their age and that the companies retained the data indefinitely. The companies settled, agreeing to delete the data, destroy any algorithms derived from it, and pay a $1.5 million penalty.
- Company involved
- WW International, Inc. (formerly Weight Watchers) and Kurbo, Inc.
- AI system involved
- Kurbo by WW
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Whitebridge AI faces complaint over false reputation reports
Whitebridge AI, a Lithuanian company, is accused of generating false reputation reports using unlawfully scraped social media data. The reports contained false warnings for 'sexual nudity' and 'dangerous political content'. Privacy group Noyb filed a complaint with the Lithuanian data protection authority, alleging violations of the GDPR. The complainants sought access to their data but received no response, and were later required to provide a qualified electronic signature to correct errors.
- Company involved
- Whitebridge AI
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Negrar hospital denies head physician's death, blames Google AI error
The Irccs Sacro Cuore Don Calabria hospital in Negrar has denied reports that its head of orthopaedics, Claudio Zorzi, had died, saying the claim was a false output generated by Google's AI Overview feature. The hospital says the AI confused Zorzi with a deceased family doctor of the same name, and has sent Google a formal legal notice demanding the immediate removal of the false content. It is also reserving the right to seek damages.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- AI Overview
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Flo Health shared fertility app users’ health data with Facebook and Google.
Flo Health Inc., the maker of the Flo Period & Ovulation Tracker app, is accused of sharing millions of users' sensitive health data with marketing and analytics firms including Facebook and Google, despite promising to keep that data private. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finalized a settlement requiring Flo to obtain affirmative consent before sharing health data, notify affected users, and have an independent privacy review. The company also must instruct third parties to destroy the received data and is prohibited from misrepresenting its data practices.
- Company involved
- Flo Health Inc.
- AI system involved
- Flo Period & Ovulation Tracker
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Dutch Tax Authority discriminated against dual nationality applicants for child care benefits using automated risk system.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) found that the Benefits Department of the Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst) unlawfully processed the dual nationality of 1.4 million applicants for child care benefits. The data was used as an indicator in an automated risk-scoring system that flagged applications as high-risk, which was unnecessary and discriminatory. The AP concluded that the processing violated the GDPR and was discriminatory. The AP completed its fact-finding and will consider imposing a sanction.
- Company involved
- Belastingdienst
10 source articles · read the reporting →
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 →
Illinois DCFS ends unreliable predictive analytics program for child abuse risk
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services ended its Rapid Safety Feedback program, which used data mining to predict child abuse risk, after the agency's director called the technology unreliable. The system, developed by Eckerd Connects and Mindshare Technology, assigned risk scores to children but failed to flag several high-profile child deaths. The program was also criticised for overwhelming caseworkers with alerts and for potential bias against poor children of colour. DCFS decided not to renew the contract.
- Company involved
- Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
- AI system involved
- Rapid Safety Feedback
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Man Hospitalized After Following ChatGPT's Salt Removal Advice
A 60-year-old man was hospitalized after following ChatGPT's advice to remove salt from his diet, replacing it with sodium bromide sourced online. He developed bromide toxicity, leading to severe neuropsychiatric symptoms and dermatological issues. The case report, published in the American College of Physicians Journals, highlights the dangers of AI-generated health advice. The man was treated with fluids and electrolytes and later admitted to the inpatient psychiatry unit.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
6 source articles · read the reporting →
AI chatbot provider exposes 346,000 customer files, including ID documents, resumes, and medical records - Malwarebytes
The chatbot system exposed sensitive personal files of individuals who interacted with it.
- Company involved
- WotNot
1 source article · read the reporting →
Lawsuit: AI Illegally Recorded Doctor-Patient Encounters - BankInfoSecurity
The system recorded and transcribed patient-doctor conversations without patients' informed consent.
- Company involved
- Sutter Health and MemorialCare
- AI system involved
- Abridge AI platform
1 source article · read the reporting →
Call Vendors Skirt Wiretap Suit Over AI Transcription Tool - Law360
The system recorded and analyzed patient phone calls without their consent.
- Company involved
- Heartland Dental LLC
1 source article · read the reporting →
“Listen Up” if Your AI Policy Does Not Cover AI Recording Issues –Another Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Third Party…
AI system recorded and analyzed calls between a dental company and its patients
- Company involved
- dental company
1 source article · read the reporting →
