The public 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.

Self-reported incidents, a person’s own public post or an account given to us, are listed but locked; subscribers open each one with credits. Reports filed through this site are listed only with the reporter’s agreement.

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4,459 incidentspress and self-reported

Page 98 of 186

Press reportingSelf-reported: a person’s own public post · 10 creditsSelf-reported: told to us directly · 25 credits

WF-YPK67DHappened 1 Feb 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
NHS QCovid algorithm incorrectly labels young patients as high risk, causing vaccine call-up
The article reports that scientists are questioning the reliability of the QCovid risk prediction algorithm used by the NHS to prioritise COVID-19 vaccinations. Due to missing data on weight or ethnicity, the algorithm automatically assigns a high BMI and high-risk ethnicity, leading to young, healthy patients being incorrectly labelled as high risk and called for early vaccination. GPs have identified hundreds of such cases, causing anxiety and potentially delaying vaccinations for more vulnerable individuals. NHS Digital acknowledged the issue and said clinicians can remove patients from the shielding list.
Company
NHS
AI system
QCovid
10 source articlestheguardian.com
WF-MY0A1RLive 5 Oct 2026
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
Government of NCT of Delhi, Education Department
10 source articlesinternetfreedom.in
WF-8XBASWHappened 1 Jan 2016Live 5 Oct 2026
Uber algorithm reinforced gender pay gap in compensation offers to new hires
Uber used an algorithm to determine compensation offers for new hires, allegedly paying women less than men for similar roles. The algorithm was designed to protect existing shareholders and save money, but it reinforced existing gender pay gaps. The system is now being altered, according to The Information.
Company
Uber
7 source articlescnbc.com
WF-8WQRJ1Live 5 Oct 2026
Facebook suspends Netanyahu-linked chatbot for asking for personal data
Facebook suspended a chatbot linked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after it asked users for names and phone numbers of unvaccinated relatives, violating Facebook's privacy policy. The chatbot sent automatic messages to visitors who clicked a link about the coronavirus. Facebook removed the post and temporarily suspended the bot. Netanyahu's Likud party defended the action as an effort to encourage vaccination.
Company
Likud party
AI system
Messenger bot
10 source articlesedition.cnn.com
WF-DZ9XQSHappened 23 Mar 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Myanmar military's deepfake video of Yangon Chief Minister detected by deepware.ai
The Myanmar military showed a video purporting to be a confession by the Yangon Chief Minister regarding corruption involving Aung San Suu Kyi. The video was detected as 98% deepfake by deepware.ai. The military's attempt to prove corruption backfired as many criticised the poorly forged video.
Company
Myanmar military
10 source articlestwitter.com
WF-VT6FU6Happened 1 Jan 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
U.S. Customs and Border Protection scanned 23 million with facial recognition, caught zero airport imposters in 2020
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) scanned over 23 million people with facial recognition technology at airports, seaports, and pedestrian crossings in 2020. The agency's annual report revealed that the system caught no imposters at airports and fewer than 100 new pedestrian imposters. The system has been deployed at more than 30 points of entry since 2018, but has only caught seven airport imposters total. The article reports on the system's ineffectiveness and privacy concerns.
Company
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
10 source articlesonezero.medium.com
WF-VSRWJZHappened 10 May 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Over 1,100 users deregister from Singapore's TraceTogether over data privacy concerns
The article reports that more than 1,100 users of Singapore's TraceTogether contact tracing app have deregistered following revelations that data could be used for criminal investigations, contrary to earlier assurances. The government responded by enacting legislation to restrict data use to serious crimes only. The minister explained the deregistration process and data deletion timeline.
Company
Government of Singapore
AI system
TraceTogether
10 source articlesstraitstimes.com
WF-MASYEZLive 5 Oct 2026
Uttar Pradesh Police uses AI cameras to track women's distress
Uttar Pradesh Police, in collaboration with Staqu Technologies, deployed AI-powered cameras in Lucknow for surveillance of women in distress. Activists have criticised the system for invading privacy. The system is currently in use.
Company
Uttar Pradesh Police
AI system
Trinetra
10 source articlespanoptic.in
WF-2LPYR7Happened 14 Dec 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Myanmar junta deploys Huawei facial recognition system threatening rights
In December 2020, the Myanmar military junta rolled out the first phase of its Safe City initiative in Naypyidaw, using 335 surveillance cameras from Huawei equipped with facial recognition and license plate recognition technology. The system automatically scans faces and plates and alerts authorities to individuals on a wanted list. Human Rights Watch warns that the system poses a grave risk to privacy and rights, especially for anti-coup activists, and that the junta has suspended key privacy protections.
Company
Myanmar military junta
AI system
Safe City surveillance system
10 source articleshrw.org
WF-RD0F9FHappened 19 Mar 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Facebook removes official page of French town Bitche due to name
The official Facebook page of the French town of Bitche was removed by Facebook's automated content moderation system on March 19, 2021, because the town's name resembles an English profanity. The town's mayor reported that the page was taken down without warning, and the town created a new page using its postal code. Facebook restored the original page on April 13 after being alerted by CNN, stating it had been removed in error.
Company
Facebook
10 source articlescnn.com
WF-S2D511Happened 1 Nov 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Dahua facial recognition technology can sort by race and alert police when detecting Uighurs
Dahua Technologies, a Chinese surveillance camera company, developed facial recognition software that can classify individuals by race and send real-time warnings to police when it identifies Uighur people. Documents and code revealed the capability, though it is unclear if it has been deployed. Human rights advocates and Uighur individuals have expressed concern about potential surveillance and discrimination. The company did not respond to requests for comment.
Company
Dahua Technologies
AI system
Dahua facial recognition software
10 source articleslatimes.com
WF-2NBMDBHappened 1 Jan 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
NYPD Used Robot Dogs for Surveillance in NYC, Terminated After Backlash
The New York Police Department (NYPD) used Digidog, a robotic dog from Boston Dynamics, to assist in crime scene assessments and emergencies in low-income communities of color in New York City from 2020 to April 2021. Activists and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez raised privacy and civil rights concerns, arguing that the technology could lead to bias and surveillance. Following public backlash, the NYPD terminated its contract and returned the robot dog to Boston Dynamics.
Company
New York Police Department
AI system
Digidog
10 source articlessnopes.com
WF-XFAIXBHappened 1 Jan 2014Live 5 Oct 2026
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
Belastingdienst
10 source articlesautoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl
WF-ROOO6WHappened 1 Apr 2019Live 5 Oct 2026
Amazon coaches police on obtaining Ring footage without warrant
Amazon's Ring division provided police departments with templates and advice on how to request surveillance footage from Ring camera owners without a warrant. The company coached officers on using the Law Enforcement Neighborhood Portal and the Neighbors app to increase the number of residents who share footage. Critics argue this creates a dragnet surveillance system without proper oversight.
Company
Amazon (Ring)
AI system
Ring Law Enforcement Neighborhood Portal and Neighbors app
10 source articlesvice.com
WF-JNII0VLive 5 Oct 2026
Tesla faces NHTSA scrutiny over sudden acceleration
Tesla is facing scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over allegations of sudden unexpected acceleration in its vehicles. A petition covering 500,000 vehicles cites 127 consumer complaints, 110 crashes, and 52 injuries. The agency is weighing whether to launch an investigation. Tesla has not yet responded.
Company
Tesla
10 source articlestheverge.com
WF-XHWUDYHappened 14 Jun 2022Live 5 Oct 2026
Zhengzhou officials punished for red health codes on depositors
Five officials in Zhengzhou were punished for ordering red health codes to be assigned to 1,317 depositors of four village banks, restricting their movement and preventing them from withdrawing savings. The officials acted without authorization, and the codes were later turned green after media coverage. Legal experts say the liability for privacy invasion remains unresolved, and the banks may face breach of contract claims.
Company
Zhengzhou municipal government
AI system
Health code system
10 source articlessixthtone.com
WF-560RWVHappened 28 May 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
TikTok mistakenly removes intersex hashtag twice
TikTok mistakenly removed the #intersex hashtag twice, affecting intersex activist Pidgeon Pagonis and the community. The removals occurred without explanation, causing frustration and concern about censorship. TikTok later told The Verge it was a mistake and restored the tag, but did not publicly disclose the error.
Company
TikTok
8 source articlestheverge.com
WF-52Q1NZHappened 26 Feb 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Qoves facial assessment tool ranks journalist's attractiveness and suggests procedures
Tate Ryan-Mosley, a journalist at MIT Technology Review, used Qoves Studio's AI facial assessment tool, which automatically scored her face and listed perceived flaws such as smile lines and under-eye bags. The tool recommended skin-care products and paid surgical consultation reports. She also tried Megvii's Face++ beauty-scoring system, which gave her two percentage attractiveness scores. The article raises concerns that such algorithms are inaccurate, biased and not transparently used by social media platforms.
Company
Qoves Studio
AI system
Facial Assessment Tool
9 source articlestechnologyreview.com
WF-XFGKHYHappened 29 Jan 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
South Korean AI recreates deceased singer's voice for TV show
South Korean broadcaster SBS used AI technology from Supertone to recreate the voice of deceased folk singer Kim Kwang-seok for a TV show. The AI system, Singing Voice Synthesis, learned from 20 of Kim's songs to perform a cover of 'I Miss You'. The family gave permission after hearing the AI version. The show aired on January 29, 2021.
Company
SBS
AI system
Singing Voice Synthesis (SVS)
10 source articlesasiaone.com
WF-04CE0NHappened 17 Jan 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Faces of the Riot publishes extracted faces from Parler Capitol riot videos
The website Faces of the Riot used open source facial recognition software to extract and publish over 6,000 faces from Parler videos of the January 6 Capitol riot. The creator, an anonymous college student, aimed to help identify participants in the insurrection. The site has been criticised for privacy violations and potential vigilante misuse. The creator says they are working to remove non-rioter faces.
Company
Faces of the Riot
AI system
Faces of the Riot
8 source articleswired.com
WF-CE1MQ4Happened 7 Jul 2016Live 5 Oct 2026
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
Dallas Police Department
8 source articleslatimes.com
WF-CGL1WPHappened 21 Jan 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Cruzcampo deepfake ad of Lola Flores goes viral
Cruzcampo launched an advertising campaign using a deepfake video of the late singer Lola Flores, created with artificial intelligence. The video went viral shortly after release. The company explained the technical process and involved Flores' daughters in the project.
Company
Cruzcampo
10 source articleselpais.com
WF-1E03SDLive 5 Oct 2026
Kohler, BMW, MaxMara secretly collected customers' facial recognition data
During the 2021 CCTV 3·15 Gala, it was revealed that Kohler, BMW, and MaxMara stores had installed facial recognition cameras from vendors such as Wandianzhang and Youluoke. These cameras captured customers' facial data without their knowledge or consent, and the data was used to track customer visits and inform sales strategies. The systems were deployed in thousands of stores across China, collecting over 100 million facial records. The companies did not inform customers or obtain consent, violating Chinese privacy laws.
Company
Kohler (China) Investment Co., Ltd., ZhengTong Auto (BMW dealerships), MaxMara
AI system
Facial recognition cameras from Wandianzhang, Youluoke, Yaliang, Ruiwei
10 source articlesnews.cctv.com
WF-BWQHCVHappened 23 Feb 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
AnyVision patents drone facial recognition technology
AnyVision, an Israeli private surveillance company, filed a US patent for drone technology that uses facial recognition to identify people on the ground. The patent describes adaptive positioning of drones to find optimal angles for accurate facial recognition. The technology is not yet in production, but the company's CEO stated it will become a reality soon. Potential privacy concerns have been raised.
Company
AnyVision
AI system
Adaptive positioning of drones for enhanced facial recognition
9 source articlescyprus-mail.com

Each incident is written from the reporting or the account it cites. A report is an allegation, not a finding.

NHS QCovid algorithm incorrectly labels young patients as high risk, causing vaccine call-up

Delhi Government uses facial recognition on children in government schools

Uber algorithm reinforced gender pay gap in compensation offers to new hires

Facebook suspends Netanyahu-linked chatbot for asking for personal data

Myanmar military's deepfake video of Yangon Chief Minister detected by deepware.ai

U.S. Customs and Border Protection scanned 23 million with facial recognition, caught zero airport imposters in 2020

Over 1,100 users deregister from Singapore's TraceTogether over data privacy concerns

Uttar Pradesh Police uses AI cameras to track women's distress

Myanmar junta deploys Huawei facial recognition system threatening rights

Facebook removes official page of French town Bitche due to name

Dahua facial recognition technology can sort by race and alert police when detecting Uighurs

NYPD Used Robot Dogs for Surveillance in NYC, Terminated After Backlash

Dutch Tax Authority discriminated against dual nationality applicants for child care benefits using automated risk system.

Amazon coaches police on obtaining Ring footage without warrant

Tesla faces NHTSA scrutiny over sudden acceleration

Zhengzhou officials punished for red health codes on depositors

TikTok mistakenly removes intersex hashtag twice

Qoves facial assessment tool ranks journalist's attractiveness and suggests procedures

South Korean AI recreates deceased singer's voice for TV show

Faces of the Riot publishes extracted faces from Parler Capitol riot videos

Dallas police used robot to kill gunman after standoff

Cruzcampo deepfake ad of Lola Flores goes viral

Kohler, BMW, MaxMara secretly collected customers' facial recognition data

AnyVision patents drone facial recognition technology