Company Watch
Not accusations. Documented signals — from press coverage, submitted tips, complaint patterns, and public data — tracked openly before things go wider. Companies know they're on this list.
This page is new and the list is short. That's honest. It grows as signals accumulate and tips come in. If you know something, the form is at the bottom of this page.
Dating platforms — Bumble, Bumble BFF
Bumble is undergoing its most significant product overhaul since launch — removing the swipe mechanic, dropping its "women message first" rule, and building AI-driven matching through a new assistant called Bee. The company's paying users fell 21.1% year-over-year in Q1 2026. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd publicly expressed interest in futures where AI proxies date other AI proxies on users' behalf. These changes are being made under significant financial pressure with limited public explanation of how user data will be handled differently under the new system.
Workplace connection — broad sector watch
This is a sector-level watch rather than a single company. Gallup's 2026 State of the Global Workplace report found global employee engagement at 20% — a five-year low — with manager engagement dropping fastest. 20% of Gen Z remote workers report high-frequency loneliness. Companies are responding with RTO mandates, surveillance tools, and AI check-in products, while research consistently finds these do not address the structural causes. We are tracking which employers are leading on genuine connection initiatives versus those deploying surface-level fixes.
AI companion platforms — private
Character.AI settled its first wave of teen suicide lawsuits in January 2026 — confidential terms. More lawsuits followed. Pennsylvania sued in May 2026, alleging chatbots posed as licensed doctors. Three state AGs now active. 20M+ monthly users, over half under 24. No liability found yet — but the litigation pattern is building the same way social media liability cases did: slowly, then suddenly.
AI companion platforms — private
Replika's founder stepped down as CEO in early 2025. The app received a €5M GDPR fine from Italian regulators. An FTC complaint alleges deceptive marketing and manipulative design — no enforcement action yet. The company is now testing a version that connects to email, calendar, Spotify, and purchases. When that ships, it's the story. 30M+ claimed users, 40% with mental health challenges, 85% reporting emotional connections with their Replika.
IRL social — private, Paris
The best-executed product in the IRL social space: 3M+ guests, 200+ cities, €18M ARR, no dominant competitor. But they over-expanded to 325 cities and had to pull back. Last meaningful raise was a 2021 seed round. Now signing brand partnerships (Dwayne Johnson's Teremana Tequila, April 2026). That either means commercial validation ahead of a Series B — or they're filling a revenue gap with sponsorship while fundraising stalls. The distinction matters.
Submit a tip
A strange internal policy. A data practice that doesn't add up. A pattern you're seeing from inside. You don't need proof — signals are enough. We follow up, verify, and decide what to publish.