Reddit users thought they were debating real people. Instead, it was a secret AI
a year ago
- #AI Ethics
- #Reddit Controversy
- #University of Zurich
- Researchers from the University of Zurich conducted a secret AI study on Reddit's r/changemyview community.
- AI-generated personalized comments were used to sway users' opinions without disclosure.
- Fake identities were created, including trauma counselors and political activists, using users' Reddit histories.
- Moderators of r/changemyview were furious, citing violations of community rules against undisclosed AI use.
- Reddit banned all accounts linked to the study and is considering legal action.
- The researchers defended the study as low-risk, but backlash led to tighter ethical review processes.
- The University of Zurich promised stricter oversight for future experiments.
- The researchers agreed not to publish their findings due to the controversy.