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 →
Security Health Plan used AI to cut off nursing home care for 85-year-old woman
Frances Walter, an 85-year-old woman with a shattered shoulder, had her nursing home care payment cut off by Security Health Plan after an algorithm predicted she would recover in 16.6 days. The algorithm, nH Predict from NaviHealth, did not account for her severe pain and allergy to pain medicine. She was forced to spend her life savings and enroll in Medicaid while fighting the denial. A federal judge later ruled the denial was speculative and she was owed thousands of dollars.
- Company involved
- Security Health Plan
- AI system involved
- nH Predict
1 source article · read the reporting →
FBI and ICE use state driver's license photos for facial recognition without consent
The FBI and ICE have been scanning millions of Americans' driver's license photos using facial recognition technology without their knowledge or consent, according to newly released documents. The agencies accessed state DMV databases, turning them into a facial-recognition gold mine. This practice raises significant privacy concerns as it was done without public awareness or legal oversight.
- Company involved
- FBI and ICE
1 source article · read the reporting →
Researchers find bias in chest X-ray AI classifiers against women, Hispanic and Medicaid patients
A study by the University of Toronto, Vector Institute, and MIT found that AI classifiers trained on public chest X-ray datasets exhibited racial, gender, and socioeconomic bias. Female patients, Hispanic patients, and those with Medicaid insurance were disproportionately affected, with the classifiers often providing incorrect diagnoses for Medicaid patients. The researchers attributed the bias to imbalanced training data and called for rigorous fairness analyses before clinical deployment.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Facebook's automated ad system rejects adaptive fashion ads
Small adaptive fashion companies have had their advertisements repeatedly rejected by Facebook's automated advertising system, which misidentifies their products as medical devices. The system's inability to understand context leads to discrimination against people with disabilities. Facebook has acknowledged the issue and restored some ads, but the problem persists, highlighting biases in machine learning.
- Company involved
- Facebook
- AI system involved
- Facebook automated advertising review system
2 source articles · read the reporting →
iTutorGroup to Pay $365,000 to Settle EEOC Discriminatory Hiring Suit
The system automatically rejected tutor applicants aged 55+ (women) or 60+ (men).
- Company involved
- iTutorGroup
1 source article · read the reporting →
US Secret Service bought access to cellphone location data
The US Secret Service signed a contract to access Locate X, a service that aggregates location data from phone apps and allows law enforcement to track devices without a warrant. The contract with Babel Street was worth about $36,000 and ran from 2017 to 2018. A former employee said the Secret Service used Locate X in 2018 to seize illegal credit card skimmers at petrol stations. Lawmakers and civil liberties advocates criticised the practice, and Senator Ron Wyden introduced a bill to ban such purchases.
- Company involved
- United States Secret Service
- AI system involved
- Locate X
1 source article · read the reporting →
Whole Foods uses heat map to track unionization risk at stores
Whole Foods, owned by Amazon, is reportedly using a heat map that scores stores on their risk of unionization. The system analyses metrics including local union membership, NLRB charges, employee compensation, diversity, and internal sentiment surveys. The tool is used to monitor and potentially prevent union organising efforts. Whole Foods stated it prefers a direct relationship with employees, while Amazon has a history of aggressively combating unionization.
- Company involved
- Whole Foods Market
1 source article · read the reporting →
California AG declares out-of-state ALPR data sharing unlawful
California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued guidance confirming that sharing automated license plate reader (ALPR) data with out-of-state or federal agencies violates state law SB 34. The decision follows years of advocacy by EFF and the ACLU, who demonstrated through public records that many California law enforcement agencies were sharing data with hundreds of external agencies, including ICE and CBP. The guidance mandates that all California agencies review their data sharing and cut off access to out-of-state and federal entities.
- Company involved
- California law enforcement agencies
- AI system involved
- Automated license plate readers (ALPRs)
1 source article · read the reporting →
U.S. hospitals' race-based eGFR calculation delayed Black kidney patients' transplants
For years, U.S. transplant hospitals used a race-based version of the eGFR equation to estimate Black patients' kidney function. The adjustment inflated Black patients' readings, delaying their referral to the kidney transplant waitlist and leaving some to die or deteriorate on dialysis. After years of advocacy, the United Network for Organ Sharing prohibited the race-based calculation in 2022 and required transplant programmes to revise affected patients' waiting times.
- Company involved
- U.S. transplant hospitals
- AI system involved
- eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate)
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Arizona Unemployment Applicants Required to Submit Facial Recognition
People applying for unemployment benefits in Arizona must verify their identity via facial recognition software provided by ID.me. If the system fails to match a selfie to a photo ID, applicants can be denied benefits unless they successfully complete a video chat with a referee. A class-action lawsuit filed in June 2021 alleges that the practice violates due process rights and discriminates against people of colour.
- Company involved
- Arizona Department of Economic Security
- AI system involved
- ID.me
1 source article · read the reporting →
Facebook exempted Trump and other high-profile users from content enforcement rules.
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.
- Company involved
- Facebook
- AI system involved
- XCheck
10 source articles · 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 →
Steak 'n Shake sued over facial recognition kiosks under BIPA
A class action lawsuit alleges that Steak 'n Shake illegally collects facial biometrics from customers using PopID-powered self-ordering kiosks without proper consent. Plaintiff Michael Massel claims the restaurant chain failed to provide notice and obtain written consent as required by Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The suit seeks damages of up to $5,000 per violation for anyone whose biometric data was collected in Illinois in the past five years.
- Company involved
- Steak 'n Shake
- AI system involved
- PopID biometric kiosks
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Delhi Government uses facial recognition on children in government schools
The Delhi Government's Education Department is using facial recognition technology in conjunction with CCTV cameras in government schools, according to responses to RTI requests filed by the Internet Freedom Foundation. The organisation urged the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights to intervene, alleging that the practice violates children's right to privacy and education under the Indian Constitution. No specific incident of harm has been reported, but the organisation warns of potential misidentification and disproportionate penalties.
- Company involved
- Government of NCT of Delhi, Education Department
10 source articles · read the reporting →
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 →
Thailand halts iris-scan crypto scheme and deletes 1.2m biometric records
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) and the Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC) ordered a company to stop collecting iris data and delete 1.2 million citizen records. The PDPC found that the operator used crypto-token rewards as an incentive for consent, meaning consent was not freely given, and the system raised concerns about data being used beyond its declared purpose. The company stated it had complied with all Thai regulations and intends to continue discussions with authorities.
- Company involved
- The company behind the iris-scan system (not named)
- AI system involved
- Iris-scan system
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Sainsbury's ejects man misidentified by facial recognition software
Warren Rajah was told to leave a Sainsbury's supermarket in Elephant and Castle, London, after staff incorrectly identified him as an offender flagged by Facewatch facial recognition software. The error occurred at the human verification stage, not the technology itself. Sainsbury's apologised and offered a £75 shopping voucher, and Facewatch confirmed Rajah was not on its database. Rajah criticised the lack of explanation and recourse, and expressed concern for vulnerable customers.
- Company involved
- Sainsbury's
- AI system involved
- Facewatch
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Mr Craig Hadley wrongly accused of fraud at Sports Direct shop using Facewatch facial recognition.
Mr Craig Hadley was wrongly accused of being a fraudster at a Rotherham Sports Direct shop using facial recognition technology supplied by Facewatch. The system flagged him as a known fraudster, but the alert was later attributed to human error. Big Brother Watch, a privacy campaign group, has raised concerns about the lack of due process in such systems.
- Company involved
- Sports Direct
- AI system involved
- Facewatch
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Evolv backtracks on claimed UK government testing of AI weapons scanner
Evolv Technology, maker of AI-powered weapons scanners, backtracked on claims that its system had been tested by the UK government's National Protective Security Authority. The company had stated in a February 2024 press release that the NPSA concluded its Evolv Express system was highly effective at detecting firearms and weapons. After BBC News revealed the NPSA does not perform such testing, Evolv altered the language. The company is under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission over its marketing practices. Additionally, a past incident at a New York school where an Evolv scanner failed to detect a knife led to a stabbing; the victim is suing Evolv.
- Company involved
- Evolv Technology
- AI system involved
- Evolv Express
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Allegheny County child neglect screening algorithm shows racial disparities
The Allegheny Family Screening Tool, an algorithm used to screen child neglect reports, has been found to flag a disproportionate number of Black children for mandatory investigation compared to white children. A technical glitch also presented wrong risk scores for over two years. County officials say social workers can override the algorithm and that the glitch has been fixed, but critics argue the tool hardens racial disparities and lacks transparency.
- Company involved
- Allegheny County Department of Human Services
- AI system involved
- Allegheny Family Screening Tool
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Arkansas algorithm slashed home care for disabled people, causing suffering
In Arkansas and other states, algorithms were used to allocate home care hours for disabled and elderly people, replacing nurse judgments. The system assigned hours based on a scoring tool that failed to account for specific disabilities, leading to drastic cuts. Many suffered severe harm, including bed sores, missed meals, and one death. After lawsuits, Arkansas's system was thrown out in 2018, and Idaho's was declared unconstitutional.
- Company involved
- Arkansas state government
1 source article · 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 Edmodo to Stop Unlawful Collection of Children's Data for Advertising
The FTC filed a complaint against Edmodo, an education technology provider, alleging that it collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent and used it for advertising, in violation of the COPPA Rule. Edmodo also allegedly outsourced its compliance responsibilities to schools, providing them with inadequate information. Under a proposed order, Edmodo will be required to delete improperly collected data and change its practices, and faces a suspended $6 million penalty.
- Company involved
- Edmodo, LLC
- AI system involved
- Edmodo
1 source article · read the reporting →
