Reddit is considering legal action against researchers from the University of Zurich who secretly deployed AI bots on the r/changemyview subreddit. The experiment, which ran from November 2024 to March 2025, aimed to test AI's ability to persuade users but was conducted without Reddit's knowledge or user consent.
The bots impersonated real people, including trauma survivors and political activists, raising serious ethical concerns. Reddit's Chief Legal Officer, Ben Lee, condemned the experiment as a violation of academic and human rights norms, stating that the company is sending formal legal demands to the university and research team.
This case highlights growing tensions between AI research and digital platform governance.
The University of Zurich's AI experiment on Reddit's r/changemyview subreddit aimed to test how effectively AI could persuade users to change their opinions. Researchers deployed AI bots that impersonated real people—including trauma survivors and political activists—to engage in debates and influence discussions.
The bots analyzed users' posting histories to infer personal traits like gender, age, ethnicity, and political views, then tailored responses accordingly. The experiment sought to measure AI's ability to craft persuasive arguments and assess its impact on online discourse. However, the lack of informed consent and the use of fabricated identities sparked ethical concerns and legal scrutiny.
This raises big questions about AI's role in shaping opinions.
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