Lawsuit Filed Against Evolv Tech for False Claims on School Security Scanners

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Evolv Technologies, accusing the company of making false claims about its AI-powered security scanners. According to the 17-page lawsuit, the scanners, which were marketed as capable of detecting weapons in schools, failed to detect actual weapons while flagging harmless personal items like laptops, water bottles, and binders. The FTC has now reached a settlement with Evolv Technologies over these allegations.

Rio Rancho Public Schools (RRPS) in New Mexico was the first school district to adopt Evolv’s security system. However, despite the FTC lawsuit, RRPS has expressed satisfaction with the system. A spokesperson for the district stated that their partnership with Evolv has been positive from the start, and they have no plans to remove the system from their schools.

The FTC’s settlement requires Evolv Technologies to cease making unsupported claims about its product’s ability to detect weapons using artificial intelligence. Additionally, the company must give certain K-12 school districts the option to cancel their contracts, which are typically multiyear agreements.

Legal expert John Day highlighted the FTC’s stance, saying the agency is taking action to prevent deceptive marketing practices that mislead school districts. “The FTC is sending a strong message to Evolv Technologies about exaggerating its claims and taking advantage of schools trying to enhance safety,” Day explained. This settlement aims to protect school districts from being locked into long-term contracts based on misleading product claims.

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