Reddit plans to sue researchers who conducted a 'dead internet' AI experiment on its site

Reddit plans to sue Zurich researchers for a secret AI chatbot experiment online.

: University of Zurich researchers used AI chatbots in Reddit's r/changemyview subreddit without users' consent, sparking outrage. The experiment intended to assess AI's ability to change opinions, with bots pretending to be real users, some using sensitive personas. The University distanced itself from the controversial study, which Reddit claims violates both ethical and legal standards. Reddit is taking legal steps against the institution and its researchers to hold them accountable.

In recent developments, Reddit is preparing to take legal action against researchers from the University of Zurich who ran an unauthorized AI experiment on its platform. The study involved deploying AI chatbots in the 'r/changemyview' subreddit, where users are known to post opinions and engage in civil debates on various topics. This experiment aimed to test whether AI could effectively challenge and potentially change human perspectives, a technique that sparked significant controversy.

The AI chatbots participated in discussions while masquerading as genuine users, including highly sensitive representations such as a sexual assault survivor and a Black man against the Black Lives Matter movement. The bots even scrutinized users' posting histories to craft convincing arguments, raising serious ethical red flags. This endeavor was aligned with the 'dead internet' theory suggesting a substantial portion of online content is generated by AI, an assertion that remains contentious.

The public outcry was swift, with critics arguing that the researchers crossed ethical boundaries by not acquiring informed consent from participants. This is crucial in maintaining both academic integrity and user rights under Reddit’s guidelines. Furthermore, OpenAI's GPT-4.5, associated with such projects, was questioned earlier in the year for its ability to mimic human interaction convincingly, highlighting the technology's advancing role in posing as human online.

Reddit responded promptly, with its legal team formally addressing the ethical breaches. Ben Lee, Reddit's top legal representative, stated that what the University of Zurich's team had done was morally and legally reprehensible, violating not only user agreements but also subreddit-specific rules and established norms in academic research. Legal actions are being deliberated to ensure accountability and protect user communities from similar future breaches.

As the backlash intensifies, the University has halted the publication of the study’s findings. Their ethics committee described the experiment as exceptionally challenging to validate ethically, proposing more stringent oversight for future research projects. They emphasized the importance of involving platform communities when conducting experimental studies to align academic endeavors with ethical standards.

The incident has led to aggravations within the research community, with the involved researchers opting for anonymity. In an unprecedented move, they issued a draft report without their names and engaged through anonymized communication channels, raising questions about the transparency and accountability of their scientific processes.

Sources: Futurism, 404 Media

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