Severity major: X posts claiming to name or identify the woman were seen 87 million times over two weeks, and Grok posted the alleged name in replies at least 300 times.
Happened 2026-09-29 · Earliest source we hold 2026-10-18, 19 days later
Grok, X's AI chatbot, posted the alleged name of the woman known as Jane Doe in a Cornell rape lawsuit in replies to users at least 300 times, researchers found, while Facebook, Instagram and TikTok blocked searches for the name. X posts claiming to name or identify her were seen 87 million times over two weeks.
Risk grouping: AI failing in normal use
Who caused it
The AI system “It appeared to pick up the alleged name from online chatter.”source
Intended or not
Not intended “It appeared to pick up the alleged name from online chatter.”source
Before or after release
After release “It let users search for the alleged name, and its chatbot, Grok, posted the name in replies to users at least 300 times, the researchers found.”source
The AI's part
Caused it “It let users search for the alleged name, and its chatbot, Grok, posted the name in replies to users at least 300 times, the researchers found.”source
The story
1 · What it was doingGrok, X's chatbot, was replying publicly to users on X while posts sought the name of the woman known as Jane Doe in a Cornell rape lawsuit.
2 · What went wrongGrok posted the alleged name in public replies at least 300 times, helping spread an identity that other platforms blocked searches for.
3 · What it reached or didX posts claiming to name her were seen 87 million times in two weeks; Doe faced harassment and swatting, and men sharing names with the accused were harassed.
4 · How it was caughtResearchers at the Center for Countering Digital Harm compiled the figures on the spread, according to data reviewed by The Washington Post.
5 · What was doneThe source reports calls from Imran Ahmed for platforms to ask whether such posts break their rules and fix them.
D inferred by us from the described behaviour, reason shown
AI agent
an AI agent acted
D inferred by us from the described behaviour, reason shown
Impact
Severity
major
D inferred by us from the described behaviour, reason shown
Who was affected
Jane Doe, the woman at the center of a Cornell rape case, and several young men who share names with those accused
C one secondary source states it
Kinds of data exposed
personal information
D inferred by us from the described behaviour, reason shown
Why this severity
X posts claiming to name or identify the woman were seen 87 million times over two weeks, and Grok posted the alleged name in replies at least 300 times.
D inferred by us from the described behaviour, reason shown
Context
Country
United States
D inferred by us from the described behaviour, reason shown
LR-2026-0218 · version 5 · published 2026-10-25 after automatic checks; not yet checked field by field by a person · changes to this case · JSON