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MIT AI Risk Initiative
BackMisuse for surveillance and population control
Home/Risks/Gipiškis2024/Misuse for surveillance and population control
Generation of personalized content for h…
Systemic large-scale manipulation

Misuse for surveillance and population control

Sub-category
Risk Domain
4Malicious Actors & Misuse
4.1Disinformation, surveillance, and influence at scale

Using AI systems to conduct large-scale disinformation campaigns, malicious surveillance, or targeted and sophisticated automated censorship and propaganda, with the aim of manipulating political processes, public opinion, and behavior.

"AI tools can be misused by human or institutional actors for monitoring, control- ling, or suppressing individuals [178]. Massive data collection and automated analysis are often conducted, and AI tools can further exacerbate such practices."(p. 48)

Entity— Who or what caused the harm

Human

Due to a decision or action made by humans

AI system

Due to a decision or action made by an AI system

Other

Due to some other reason or is ambiguous

Intent— Whether the harm was intentional or accidental

Intentional

Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal

Unintentional

Due to an unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal

Other

Without clearly specifying the intentionality

Timing— Whether the risk is pre- or post-deployment

Pre-deployment

Occurring before the AI is deployed

Post-deployment

Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed

Other

Without a clearly specified time of occurrence

Other risks from Gipiškis2024 (144)

Direct Harm Domains (content safety harms)

1.2 Exposure to toxic content
Not codedNot codedNot coded

Direct Harm Domains (content safety harms) > Violence and extremism

1.2 Exposure to toxic content
Not codedNot codedNot coded

Direct Harm Domains (content safety harms) > Hate and toxicity

1.2 Exposure to toxic content
Not codedNot codedNot coded

Direct Harm Domains (content safety harms) > Sexual content

1.2 Exposure to toxic content
Not codedNot codedNot coded

Direct Harm Domains (content safety harms) > Child harm

1.2 Exposure to toxic content
Not codedNot codedNot coded

Direct Harm Domains (content safety harms) > Self-harm

1.2 Exposure to toxic content
Not codedNot codedNot coded
View all 144 risks from this paper →