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Reddit Prepares Legal Action Over University of Zurich's Covert AI Experiment

Researchers secretly deployed AI bots on r/changemyview to test persuasive capabilities, violating subreddit rules and sparking ethical debates.

A woman looking at a smartphone with a Reddit logo displayed in the background
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Reddit Inc. signage during the company's initial public offering on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York on March 21, 2024.
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Overview

  • University of Zurich researchers ran a four-month experiment using AI bots to post 1,783 comments on Reddit's r/changemyview without user consent.
  • The AI bots impersonated sensitive personas, including a rape survivor and a Black man critical of Black Lives Matter, to tailor arguments and influence users.
  • Moderators of the subreddit uncovered the experiment, filed an ethics complaint, and publicly condemned the manipulation as a breach of trust and subreddit rules.
  • Reddit’s Chief Legal Officer, Ben Lee, announced formal legal demands against the researchers, labeling their actions as unethical and in violation of platform policies.
  • The University of Zurich has launched an internal review, pledged stricter ethical oversight, and confirmed the researchers will not publish their findings.