OpenAI and Anthropic ignore robots.txt to scrape web content for training data
OpenAI and Anthropic have been found to be ignoring or circumventing the robots.txt rule that prevents automated scraping of websites, according to a person with knowledge of TollBit's analytics. The AI companies are bypassing blocks to their web crawlers GPTBot and ClaudeBot to retrieve all content from publishers' websites for model training. The practice undermines the long-standing web standard and raises concerns about copyright infringement.
- Company involved
- OpenAI, Anthropic
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT, Claude
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Prosecraft shut down after using authors' books without consent for AI analytics
Prosecraft, a fiction analytics site, used the full text of over 25,000 books without author consent to train its AI algorithms and provide writing statistics. Authors protested on social media, demanding removal of their works. The developer, Benji Smith, subsequently shut down the site and wrote a blog post explaining his actions.
- Company involved
- Prosecraft
- AI system involved
- Prosecraft
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Proctorio anti-cheating software failed to catch student cheaters in study
Researchers at the University of Twente in the Netherlands tested Proctorio, an anti-cheating software, by asking 30 computer science students to sit an exam while six of them cheated. Proctorio did not flag any of the cheaters and flagged some honest students for irregular behaviour. An independent human review caught only one of the six cheaters. Proctorio disputed the study's methodology and cited other research.
- Company involved
- Proctorio
- AI system involved
- Proctorio
5 source articles · read the reporting →
UCCS professor secretly photographed over 1,700 people for facial recognition research
A University of Colorado Colorado Springs professor, Terrance Boult, led a project that secretly photographed more than 1,700 students, faculty, and passers-by on campus in 2012-2013 to improve facial recognition technology. The photos were published as a public dataset from 2016 until April 2019. University officials defended the research, but a law professor questioned the ethics of the surveillance without consent.
- Company involved
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Paradox security vulnerability exposed candidate data to researchers
On June 30, 2025, security researchers discovered a vulnerability in Paradox's test account that allowed access to chat interaction records. The researchers viewed five candidates' personal information including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and IP addresses. Paradox fixed the issue within hours and stated that no data was leaked publicly. The company has since implemented new security measures.
- Company involved
- Paradox
- AI system involved
- Paradox conversational AI platform
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Microsoft Copilot vulnerable to automated phishing and data theft
Security researcher Michael Bargury demonstrated at Black Hat that Microsoft's Copilot AI can be manipulated by attackers to send phishing emails, extract private data, and bypass security protections. The attacks exploit the AI's access to corporate data and its ability to perform actions on behalf of users. Microsoft acknowledged the findings and said it is working with the researcher to assess the vulnerabilities.
- Company involved
- Microsoft
- AI system involved
- Copilot
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Torswats Uses AI-Generated Voice for Nationwide Swatting Campaign
A swatter known as Torswats has been using a computer-generated voice to make bomb and mass shooting threats to police across the United States. The paid service offers to close schools or target individuals, with calls resulting in lockdowns and armed responses. Authorities have charged a 16-year-old for ordering threats, but Torswats remains operational. The FBI is investigating the swatting incidents.
- Company involved
- Torswats
1 source article · read the reporting →
Thomson Reuters wins copyright lawsuit against AI startup Ross Intelligence
In 2020, Thomson Reuters filed a copyright lawsuit against legal AI startup Ross Intelligence, alleging that Ross reproduced materials from its Westlaw legal research service. In February 2025, a US District Court judge ruled in Thomson Reuters' favor, finding that Ross infringed copyright and that fair use did not apply. Ross Intelligence had shut down in 2021 due to litigation costs.
- Company involved
- Ross Intelligence
- AI system involved
- Ross Intelligence
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Vanderbilt, Northwestern and University of Texas stop using Turnitin AI detector over false cheating accusations
Several US universities, including Vanderbilt, Northwestern and the University of Texas, have stopped using Turnitin's AI detection tool over concerns that it falsely marks student essays as written by ChatGPT. Vanderbilt estimated that the tool's 1% false-positive rate could have wrongly labelled about 750 of 75,000 papers submitted last year. A Texas professor came under fire for failing half his class after the software identified their essays as AI-generated. Turnitin said its technology is not meant to replace educators' professional discretion.
- Company involved
- Multiple universities (Vanderbilt University, Northwestern University, University of Texas)
- AI system involved
- Turnitin's AI detection tool
9 source articles · read the reporting →
FBI charges man for creating AI chatbots to harass university professor
A university professor in Massachusetts was harassed online for years, including through the creation of AI chatbots that impersonated her. The chatbots were programmed with her personal information and encouraged users to contact her. The FBI arrested James Florence Jr. on charges of cyberstalking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2).
5 source articles · read the reporting →
UK universities detect deepfake applicants in automated interviews
Some UK universities use Enroly's automated online interviews to screen international student applicants. Enroly detected about 30 cases of deepfake attempts out of 20,000 interviews during the January 2025 intake. The deepfakes used AI-generated images and audio to replace applicants' faces and voices. Enroly stated it caught the attempts using real-time detection methods.
- Company involved
- UK universities
- AI system involved
- Enroly
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Mass AI cheating scandal at Yonsei University with hundreds of students using ChatGPT
A large-scale cheating scandal has erupted at Yonsei University, where hundreds of students in a third-year online course are suspected of using AI tools such as ChatGPT to cheat on their midterm exam. The professor discovered signs of misconduct and offered students a chance to confess, with those coming forward receiving a zero but no further penalty. A poll on a student community app indicated that over half of respondents admitted to cheating. The university has not yet established clear guidelines on AI use.
- Company involved
- Yonsei University
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
6 source articles · read the reporting →
GoLaxy Used AI to Manipulate Public Opinion in Hong Kong and Taiwan
The Chinese company GoLaxy used an AI system called Smart Propaganda System (GoPro) to monitor and manipulate public opinion in Hong Kong and Taiwan, according to internal documents. The system collected data on members of Congress and other influential Americans, though no campaign was mounted in the United States. GoLaxy denied the allegations, calling them misinformation. The technology represents a new frontier in information warfare, enabling mass production of propaganda.
- Company involved
- GoLaxy
- AI system involved
- Smart Propaganda System (GoPro)
2 source articles · read the reporting →
School AI surveillance like Gaggle can lead to false alarms, arrests
AI surveillance tools used in schools, such as Gaggle, GoGuardian and Bark, are reported to generate false alarms that have led to student arrests. The article examines cases where automated monitoring flagged innocent behaviour as threats, causing harm to students and families.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Philip Morris accused of using AI to rig EU tobacco consultation responses
Dutch broadcasters Pointer and NOS allege that Philip Morris International used an AI-powered platform, 'Your Voice, Your Choice', to generate responses to the European Commission's public consultation on tobacco legislation. The platform offered pre-defined responses and AI assistance, leading to an estimated 30 per cent of all responses being AI-generated. Philip Morris denies wrongdoing, stating that users retained full control and that anti-tobacco lobbyists are attempting to discredit legitimate participation. The incident raises concerns about the integrity of EU democratic processes.
- Company involved
- Philip Morris International
- AI system involved
- Your Voice, Your Choice
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Ukrainian Hacker Pleads Guilty to Operating OnlyFake AI ID Scam Site
Yurii Nazarenko, a Ukrainian national, pleaded guilty to running OnlyFake, an AI-powered website that generated and sold over 10,000 counterfeit identification documents globally. The site allowed users to create realistic fake IDs, including driver's licenses and passports, to bypass identity verification at banks and cryptocurrency exchanges. Nazarenko faces up to 15 years in prison and agreed to forfeit $1.2 million. Sentencing is scheduled for June 2026.
- Company involved
- OnlyFake
- AI system involved
- OnlyFake
3 source articles · read the reporting →
OpenAI's GPT Store hosts copyright-infringing chatbots
Praxis, a Danish textbook publisher, discovered that users of OpenAI's GPT Store had created custom chatbots using copyrighted textbooks without permission. The publisher filed DMCA takedown notices, and OpenAI removed some bots, but new infringing bots continue to appear. Praxis is considering legal action if OpenAI does not improve its safeguards.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- GPT Store
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Broward College student flagged by Honorlock and accused of cheating
A 17-year-old Black student at Broward College was flagged by Honorlock, a remote proctoring system, during an online biology exam in February 2022. Her professor reviewed the recording and accused her of academic dishonesty for looking down and away from the screen; the college found her responsible for noncompliance and gave her a zero and a warning. The student says she was only thinking and fidgeting, and the article reports that the video is ambiguous. Honorlock says it does not definitively identify cheaters and the final decision rests with the school.
- Company involved
- Broward College
- AI system involved
- Honorlock
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Northeastern University Student Complains About Professor's Undisclosed AI-Generated Presentation
In February 2025, an undergraduate student at Northeastern University noticed that a professor's presentation contained misspellings and distorted images, leading her to suspect it was AI-generated. The professor had prohibited students from using AI, yet used it himself without disclosure. The student filed a formal complaint and demanded a tuition refund of over $8,000, but the university rejected her claim. The incident prompted Northeastern to later adopt a formal AI policy requiring attribution and review of AI-generated content.
- Company involved
- Northeastern University
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 →
Miami Police Used Clearview AI to Identify Protester
NBC 6 Investigators revealed that Miami Police used the facial recognition program Clearview AI to identify Oriana Albornoz, a 25-year-old woman, as the person accused of throwing rocks at officers during a protest on May 30, 2020. She was arrested a month later and charged with battery on a police officer; her attorney said he was unaware police had used the technology, as it was not disclosed in the arrest report. The police department acknowledged using Clearview AI to identify violent protest suspects after the fact, but stated they do not surveil peaceful protesters. The case is ongoing, with Albornoz pleading not guilty.
- Company involved
- Miami Police Department
- AI system involved
- Clearview AI
4 source articles · read the reporting →
CommNV vs Uprise (Nevada DC): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Monetary Penalty OR Order to volunteer and teach about AI…
The AI system generated fabricated legal citations that were included in a court filing, misleading the court and opposing counsel.
- Company involved
- Christopher Day
1 source article · read the reporting →
AI chatbots recommended unlicensed casinos to UK users
An investigation by the Guardian and Investigate Europe found that five major AI chatbots—ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Microsoft Copilot, and Meta AI—recommended unlicensed online casinos to UK users. Some chatbots also advised on bypassing consumer protection systems like GamStop and financial checks. The companies acknowledged the findings and said they are reviewing safeguards. Regulators expressed concern about the potential harm to vulnerable users.
- Company involved
- Multiple technology companies (Microsoft, Google, Meta, OpenAI, X)
- AI system involved
- Copilot, Gemini, Meta AI, ChatGPT, Grok
5 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 →
