ChatGPT reportedly accused innocent man of murdering his children

It has been over two years since ChatGPT exploded onto the world stage and, while OpenAI has advanced it in many ways, there's still quite a few hurdles. One of the biggest issues: hallucinations, or stating false information as factual. Now, Austrian advocacy group Noyb has filed its second complaint against OpenAI for such hallucinations, naming a specific instance in which ChatGPT reportedly — and wrongly — stated that a Norwegian man was a murderer. 

To make matters, somehow, even worse, when this man asked ChatGPT what it knew about him, it reportedly stated that he was sentenced to 21 years in prison for killing two of his children and attempting to murder his third. The hallucination was also sprinkled with real information, including the number of children he had, their genders and the name of his home town. 

Noyb claims that this response put OpenAI in violation of GDPR. "The GDPR is clear. Personal data has to be accurate. And if it's not, users have the right to have it changed to reflect the truth," Noyb data protection lawyer Joakim Söderberg stated. "Showing ChatGPT users a tiny disclaimer that the chatbot can make mistakes clearly isn’t enough. You can’t just spread false information and in the end add a small disclaimer saying that everything you said may just not be true.." 

Other notable instances of ChatGPT's hallucinations include accusing one man of fraud and embezzlement, a court reporter of child abuse and a law professor of sexual harassment, as reported by multiple publications. 

Noyb first complaint to OpenAI about hallucinations, in April 2024, focused on a public figure's inaccurate birthdate (so not murder, but still inaccurate). OpenAI had rebuffed the complainant's request to erase or update their birthdate, claiming it couldn't change information already in the system, just block its use on certain prompts. ChatGPT replies on a disclaimer that it "can make mistakes." 

Yes, there is an adage something like, everyone makes mistakes, that's why they put erasers on pencils. But, when it comes to an incredibly popular AI-powered chatbot, does that logic really apply? We'll see if and how OpenAI responds to Noyb's latest complaint. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-reportedly-accused-innocent-man-of-murdering-his-children-120057654.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-reportedly-accused-innocent-man-of-murdering-his-children-120057654.html?src=rss
Created 5mo | Mar 20, 2025, 1:10:15 PM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

The MasterClass Labor Day sale discounts subscriptions by 50 percent

MasterClass promises online learning with instructors who are the very best in their fields, and an annual subscription is

Aug 25, 2025, 3:50:30 PM | Engadget
Apple will reportedly bring back Touch ID on a foldable iPhone

As an iPhone user who has watched the release of foldable Android mobile phones with envy, I can't wait for 2026. Yes,

Aug 25, 2025, 3:50:28 PM | Engadget
Google tests QR code verification for text messages

Google is changing the way you confirm if contacts are legit. The company has begun rolling out a QR code to verify that the person you're communicating with is, in fact, who they say they are,

Aug 25, 2025, 1:30:31 PM | Engadget
Labor Day sales include Apple's iPad Air M3 for $150 off

For a lot of people, the iPad Air is Apple’s goldilocks tablet. It’s more powerful and available in a larger size than the entry-level iPad, but a lot less expensive than the iPad Pro, which can be

Aug 25, 2025, 1:30:30 PM | Engadget
NordVPN deal: Get a two-year plan for up to 77 percent off

There are dozens of VPNs to choose from, but to think they're all created equally would be

Aug 25, 2025, 1:30:28 PM | Engadget
Subaru Solterra first drive: Big improvements in all the right places for 2026

When Subaru's first electric car launched in late 2021, the Solterra had something o

Aug 25, 2025, 1:30:27 PM | Engadget