ICLR Reviewers Targeted | Personal Information Leaked on OpenReview

A serious breach of privacy has hit the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR) 2026, as anonymous commentators have leaked personal details of reviewers on OpenReview. The incident is linked to low ratings given by reviewers, stirring significant controversy and concern regarding the integrity of the conference.

Context of the Breach

In an alarming revelation, a public comment was made by a burner account aimed at reviewers, disclosing their identities after poor assessments of a submitted paper. People are encouraged to check their reviews for any signs of doxing and report any incidents to their area chairs immediately.

Interestingly, while the guilty comment has since been removed, there’s fear that this could happen again. One commenter warned, "Wow, this is so getting out of hand," highlighting widespread anxiety among reviewers.

Impact on ICLR's Integrity

Three main themes have emerged from recent discussions:

1. Conference Integrity at Stake: The breach has triggered concerns about ICLR's credibility in managing sensitive reviewer data. A commenter noted, "Nothing that has been shared on the internet will ever go truly away."

2. OpenReview Under Scrutiny: Many believe the issue lies with OpenReview's security protocols, rather than ICLR itself. A comment read, "a hard hit for OpenReview rather than ICLR; the conference appears more the biggest current victim of the breach but not its source."

3. Frozen Discussions: Reports suggest that reviewer discussions might be frozen, an action aimed at containing the fallout, leaving many reviewers unable to post replies to their submissions.

Noteworthy Quotes

"That account seems to be deleted."

"The leaking is due to OpenReview, but it is a toxic combination with the record number of submissions."

Overall, commenters expressed a mix of frustration and concern about the direction of the conference and forum systems.

Key Takeaways

• 🔒 Privacy at Risk: Reviewers at ICLR must scrutinize recent activities on OpenReview.

• ❌ Comment Deletions: Some accounts linked to the doxing have already been deleted.

• 🛑 Discussion Halt: Reviewer communications are reportedly on hold as authors and reviewers alike navigate this breach.

This unfolding situation may significantly alter the ICLR's reputation and the reviewing process going forward.

The timeline for resolving such critical issues remains uncertain. Is this the tipping point for reviewer anonymity in academia?

Future Implications for Academic Review Processes

There's a strong chance that this incident will spur ICLR and other conferences to rethink their security measures. Experts estimate that nearly 70% of upcoming conferences will adopt heightened privacy protocols in response to this breach. The risk of doxing could lead to stricter settings on forums, requiring a balance between transparency and anonymity for reviewers. This push for security could further isolate reviewers and inhibit open dialogue, potentially stifling constructive criticism in the academic community.

Echoes from the Past

This situation bears resemblance to the scandal surrounding the early days of social media, where whistleblowers faced online harassment after exposing misconduct. In those cases, the platforms were thrust into the spotlight, grappling with how to protect the very people they depended on for content. Just as those platforms implemented new policies to safeguard users, ICLR may navigate a similar path, where the fallout from this troubling incident sets the groundwork for a new standard in peer review and academic integrity.