Huq collected GPS data from apps even after users opted out
Huq, a location data vendor, obtained GPS coordinates from Android apps even when users explicitly opted out of data sharing within the app settings. Researchers and Motherboard found that apps like Network Signal Info and QR & Barcode Scanner transmitted location data to Huq despite settings stating no data would be shared. Huq said it is investigating and will work with app publishers to fix the issue. The data collection raises concerns about consent and compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
- Company involved
- Huq
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Google AI Search Shows Product Prices 21.6% Higher
بحث غوغل بالذكاء الاصطناعي يعرض أسعارًا أعلى بـ 21.6% للمنتجات - وكالة عمون الاخبارية
A study found that Google's AI Mode shows the same products at prices 21.6% higher on average compared to traditional search. The primary seller for the same product differed nearly 50% of the time, suggesting AI Mode prioritizes different sellers and is less focused on low prices. Google stated that all shopping results, including AI Mode, use the same Shopping Graph data source.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- AI Mode
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google shows AI-generated images in Edward Hopper search results
Illustrator Penny Neville-Lee reported that searching for Edward Hopper on Google returned AI-generated images instead of authentic artworks. The incident highlights concerns about AI-generated content obscuring genuine artistic works online. No response from Google is mentioned.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Image Search
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Google's Ad System Shows Gender Bias in Job Ads, Study Finds
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the International Computer Science Institute used a tool called AdFisher to probe Google's ad-targeting system. They found that fake web users believed to be male were much more likely than equivalent female users to be shown ads for high-paying executive jobs. The study also revealed that Google's transparency tool did not reflect sensitive inferences, such as substance abuse interests, used for targeting. Google did not officially respond to the researchers but later added a disclaimer to its ad settings page, limiting its transparency.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google ad-targeting system
10 source articles · read the reporting →
3rd Circuit Revives Hotel Price-Fixing Suit Over Cendyn Rainmaker Algorithm
A group of hotel guests allege that Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock, Borgata, and MGM conspired to fix room rates using Cendyn's Rainmaker algorithm. The algorithm allegedly recommended prices based on competitively-sensitive information shared among the casinos. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit revived the lawsuit, allowing the claims to proceed. The case is pending.
- Company involved
- Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock, Borgata, MGM
- AI system involved
- Rainmaker
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Google AI bot accused of racism
Euronews: ИИ-бот Google обвинили в расизме - prospect.com.ru
Google's Gemini AI bot gave sharply different recommendations depending on the nationality of the person mentioned in a query. This led to accusations of racism and received wide coverage in French media, according to Euronews.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Gemini
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google's Search AI Gives False Geography Answers, Including Denying Kenya Exists
Google's AI-powered Search Generative Experience (SGE) was found to provide incorrect answers to geography questions, such as claiming no African country starts with 'K' despite Kenya. The system also struggled with alphabetization, listing countries in wrong order and including non-countries like Washington, DC. The errors stemmed from the AI ingesting false information from AI-generated blogs and failing to filter it. Google acknowledged the experimental nature of the feature and stated it would continue to improve.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google SGE
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Google's ad portal suggested porn keywords for 'Black girls'
Google's Keyword Planner, used by advertisers to select search terms, suggested hundreds of pornographic keywords when users searched for 'Black girls', 'Latina girls', and 'Asian girls', but returned no suggestions for 'White girls' or 'White boys'. The Markup reported that Google's own adult filter flagged many of these terms, but the system still recommended them. Google acknowledged the issue, removed the terms, and said it was working to prevent recurrence.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Ads Keyword Planner
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Search Displays AI-Generated Vermeer as Top Result
Google's search engine displayed an AI-generated version of Johannes Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' as the top result for the artist's name. The image, created by AI artist Julian van Dieken, was featured in Google's overview without indication it was not the original painting. This follows a similar incident where an AI-generated Edward Hopper image was promoted. Google acknowledged the error and stated it is rolling out tools to help users assess image credibility.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Search
1 source article · read the reporting →
Surgeon sues Google over 'bankrupt' autocomplete suggestion
Dr Guy Hingston, a Port Macquarie surgeon, sued Google for defamation over an autocomplete suggestion that when users typed his name, "Guy Hingston bankrupt" appeared. He alleges the suggestion is false and has cost him patients and financiers. Google declined to comment. The lawsuit was filed in US district court in California.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Autocomplete
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Australian Tours and Cruises AI sends tourists to non-existent Tasmanian hot springs
Australian Tours and Cruises used AI to generate travel articles for its Tasmania Tours website. The AI created a false article about hot springs in Weldborough, Tasmania, which do not exist. Tourists travelled to the remote area and contacted the local hotel for directions. The company acknowledged the error, removed the AI-generated content, and is reviewing all posts.
- Company involved
- Australian Tours and Cruises
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google AI Overview shows AI-generated mushroom images, experts warn
Google's AI Overview returned AI-generated images of mushrooms that did not match the species, leading experts to warn that foragers could be poisoned. The images appeared as top results for searches of edible mushrooms and were flagged as AI-generated. A Reddit moderator reported the issue to Google, and a Google spokesperson said the company was looking into it.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google AI Overview
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Google AI directs traveller to scam customer service number
Alex Rivlin used Google to find a cruise company's customer service number while booking a shuttle for a European holiday. Google's AI surfaced a number that connected him to a knowledgeable-sounding representative, to whom he gave his credit card details. The number was a scam, representing a new AI-enabled twist on a long-running travel fraud. The article warns readers about this evolving threat.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google AI Overviews
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google Search results for 'black girls' and 'three black teenagers' showed pornographic and mugshot images
Google Search returned pornographic results for the query 'black girls' and mugshots for 'three black teenagers', reflecting racial and gender stereotypes. The author, Safiya Noble, documented these results from 2009 to 2016. Google initially denied responsibility but later tweaked its algorithm to change the results. The incident highlights systemic bias in search algorithms.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Search
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Google found liable for defamatory search results in Australia
Google's search engine displayed images of Milorad Trkulja alongside convicted criminals and suggested defamatory autocomplete predictions. Trkulja sued Google for defamation. The High Court of Australia ruled that Google could be considered a publisher of the search results and that the material was capable of being defamatory, allowing the case to proceed.
- Company involved
- Google LLC
- AI system involved
- Google Search
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google AdSense shows arrest ads more for black-sounding names
A study by Latanya Sweeney found that Google's AdSense system delivered ads suggestive of arrest records disproportionately for names associated with Black individuals compared to white-associated names. The study analysed 2184 racially associated names across two websites. Google maintained that it received the same ad text for groups of last names, but the cause of the disparity remains unknown.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google AdSense
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Grok and Google Lens AI overviews falsely claim fake images show Huntingdon train attack
Grok and Google Lens AI overviews have been claiming that AI-generated images of the Huntingdon train attack are real. Grok told users one image was a genuine photo, while Google Lens claimed it was a still from a BBC news report. The AI systems also linked unrelated videos to the attack. Full Fact contacted Google, which told users they can provide feedback on errors. xAI has not yet responded.
- Company involved
- xAI and Google
- AI system involved
- Grok and Google Lens AI overviews
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Flu Trends underestimates US flu outbreak
Google Flu Trends, an automated system using search query data to estimate flu activity, failed to predict the severity of the 2012-2013 US flu outbreak, underestimating the impact. The algorithm's predictions diverged from actual surveillance data, raising concerns about relying on web-based methods for disease tracking. The article reports the discrepancy as a failure of the model.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Flu Trends
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Booking.com still misleading consumers with false '1 room left' claims
Booking.com continues to display misleading scarcity messages on its hotel booking platform, claiming that only one room is left when in fact many more are available. Which? Travel found that five out of ten such claims were inaccurate, with one example showing 34 rooms still available at a London hotel. The Competition and Markets Authority had given Booking.com until 1 September 2019 to change its practices, but the platform has not fully complied. Booking.com says it has worked to implement the commitments agreed with the CMA.
- Company involved
- Booking.com
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Stefanina’s Wentzville warns customers against using Google AI for specials after false information causes anger
Stefanina’s Wentzville, a restaurant in Missouri, posted a warning on social media asking customers not to use Google AI to find their specials. The AI-generated overviews were providing inaccurate information about deals and menu items that did not exist, leading to angry customers yelling at employees. The restaurant stated it could not honour the fake specials and directed customers to its Facebook page or website instead. Google did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google AI Overviews
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google's secret blocklist fails to block many hate terms on YouTube ads
The Markup investigated Google's secret blocklist that hides YouTube hate videos from advertisers. They found that less than a third of 86 hate-related terms were blocked, allowing advertisers to potentially place ads on White nationalist and neo-Nazi content. Google acknowledged the issue and blocked additional terms after being contacted, but some terms remained unblocked.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Ads blocklist
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Trivago loses Australian appeal over misleading hotel rate rankings
The Federal Court of Australia has dismissed Trivago's appeal against a ruling that the online travel company breached Australian consumer law. The court found that Trivago's website used an algorithm that gave prominence to hotels paying higher fees, so the most prominent offers were not always the cheapest for consumers. Consumers may therefore have paid more for rooms, and hotels lost direct bookings. The case returns to the Federal Court for consideration of penalties and other orders sought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
- Company involved
- Trivago
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity AI search results promote racist IQ data
AI-powered search engines from Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity have been surfacing debunked research promoting race science, including false IQ scores for countries. The systems pulled data from a dataset by Richard Lynn, a known proponent of scientific racism. Google removed the offending Overviews after being contacted by WIRED, but the data still appears in featured snippets and other AI tools.
- Company involved
- Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity
- AI system involved
- AI Overviews, Copilot, Perplexity
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Google AI Overviews provide inaccurate finance information in 43% of searches
A study by The College Investor found that Google's AI Overviews provided misleading or inaccurate information in 43% of 100 personal finance-related searches. The AI-generated answers included outdated tax rules and incorrect student loan repayment plan details. One user believed she could convert her 529 plan to a Roth IRA in California, which is not allowed. Google has not responded to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- AI Overviews
3 source articles · read the reporting →
