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Michigan Unemployment Agency's 93% False Positive Automated Fraud Detection Rate

posted by cmn32480 on Monday December 19 2016, @04:56AM   
from the flipping-a-coin-might-have-been-more-accurate dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

A Michigan government agency wrongly accused individuals in at least 20,000 cases of fraudulently seeking unemployment payments, according to a review by the state.

The review released this week found that an automated system had erroneously accused claimants in 93% of cases – a rate that stunned even lawyers suing the state over the computer system and faulty fraud claims.

"It's literally balancing the books on the backs of Michigan's poorest and jobless," attorney David Blanchard, who is pursuing a class action in federal court on behalf of several claimants, told the Guardian on Friday.

The Michigan unemployment insurance agency (UIA) reviewed 22,427 cases in which an automated computer system determined a claimant had committed insurance fraud, after federal officials, including the Michigan congressman Sander Levin, raised concerns with the system.

When we give up human judgment in favor of software, code becomes law and programmers our unelected legislators.

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Original Submission

• Adding to suffering benefits the "authorities" Adding to suffering benefits the "authorities" (Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 19 2016, @07:48AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 19 2016, @07:48AM (#442996)

  It may have been intentional to teach people helplessness (learned helplessness). So they will not challenge the self-proclaimed "authorities" when these same "authorities" begin their one-world government. These people will now be unable to support themselves, unable to buy guns and generally be in perpetual poverty. Such people are easy to control.

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• Re:Adding to suffering benefits the "authorities" (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 19 2016, @08:58AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 19 2016, @08:58AM (#443027)

  The downside is people who learned helplessness become bitter and belligerent and troll the fucking shit out of you at every opportunity. Good luck blocking them because you know there will be enough assholes among them who will teach the others how to evade every method you could ever use to ban them. Enjoy your internet full of trolls.

  Parent

• Re:Adding to suffering benefits the "authorities" (Score: 2) by fritsd on Monday December 19 2016, @05:27PM

  by fritsd (4586) on Monday December 19 2016, @05:27PM (#443209) Journal

  These people will now be unable to support themselves, unable to buy guns and generally be in perpetual poverty.

  Dick Turpin [wikipedia.org], is that you? What an "interesting" proposal to get out of perpetual poverty.

  Parent