Instacart's rating and fraud detection system unfairly penalizes shoppers
Instacart shoppers allege that the company's automated rating and fraud detection system unfairly penalizes them for issues outside their control, such as customer fraud. The system assigns low ratings and blames shoppers for missing items, leading to reduced pay and deactivation. The Gig Workers Collective has sent an open letter to CEO Fidji Simo demanding changes including higher base pay, item commission, and occupational death benefits.
- Company involved
- Instacart
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Inflection background check errors lead to lawsuits from banned Airbnb users
Inflection, a background check company used by Airbnb, Uber, and other platforms, has been sued multiple times for providing inaccurate reports. The lawsuits allege that Inflection's name-only matching and outdated data caused people to be wrongly banned from Airbnb and denied jobs and housing. Some cases have been settled, while others remain ongoing. The company is accused of violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
- Company involved
- Inflection
- AI system involved
- Inflection background check
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Tenant screening software denies housing to disabled Latino man in Connecticut
In 2016, Carmen Arroyo requested to move her disabled son Mikhail into a larger apartment in the same complex. The landlord, WinnResidential, used CoreLogic's CrimSafe tenant screening software, which flagged a dropped retail theft charge against Mikhail as disqualifying. The landlord rejected the application without explanation. Arroyo sued CoreLogic and WinnResidential under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair Housing Act, alleging that the software disproportionately excludes people of colour. The case was scheduled for trial in August 2021.
- Company involved
- WinnResidential
- AI system involved
- CrimSafe
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Buzzfeed AI ad recommends buying hat of man who died by suicide
Buzzfeed used an AI-powered ad platform that recommended a beanie similar to one worn by Brett Helling, a man who died by suicide, in a photograph on a Buzzfeed article. A reader saw the ad and reported it to 404 Media. The ad platform matched objects in images without understanding context.
- Company involved
- Buzzfeed
5 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 →
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 →
