Meta's Smart Glasses Secretly Capture Intimate Footage, Investigation Finds
Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, marketed as a product created 'with your privacy in mind,' have been unknowingly recording people in highly private situations, including getting undressed, sitting on the toilet, and even having sex, according to a recent investigation. The resulting footage is then reviewed by data workers thousands of miles away, raising serious privacy concerns.
How the Recording and Review Process Works
The tech giant's smart glasses feature built-in cameras and microphones, along with an AI assistant activated by saying 'Hey Meta.' This assistant automatically processes data from the glasses, including speech, text, images, and at times video footage. This data is sent to annotators at Sama, a third-party data company contracted by Meta in Nairobi, Kenya. Crucially, this function cannot be turned off by users.
An investigation by the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet has uncovered that multiple workers at Sama have been able to see 'everything' users get up to while wearing the glasses. One worker stated, 'In some videos you can see someone going to the toilet, or getting undressed.' Another added, 'I don't think they know, because if they knew they wouldn't be recording.'
Sensitive Information and Privacy Policy Warnings
Staff reported that the glasses have at times recorded sensitive personal information, such as bank cards or people watching pornography. Meta does warn users in its privacy policy that 'in some cases' data will be reviewed. The policy states: 'Meta will review your interactions with AIs, including the content of your conversations with or messages to AIs, and this review may be automated or manual (human).' It further advises: 'Do not share information that you don't want the AIs to use and retain, such as information about sensitive topics.'
Since Meta debuted its smart glasses in 2021, concerns have been raised over their ability to film people without their knowledge. A Meta spokesman told The Telegraph: 'When people share content with Meta AI, like other companies we sometimes use contractors to review this data to improve people's experience with the glasses, as stated in our privacy policy. This data is first filtered to protect people's privacy. We take the protection of people's data very seriously and we're continuously refining our efforts and tools in this area.'
Lack of Response and Ongoing Concerns
According to Svenska Dagbladet, Meta did not respond to a number of their questions following the probe. Initially, the company said: 'When live AI is being used, we process that media according to the Meta AI Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.' Daily Mail has also contacted Meta and Sama for comment, but responses are pending.
This revelation highlights a significant gap between Meta's privacy assurances and the reality of how data from its smart glasses is handled, sparking debates over surveillance, consent, and corporate accountability in the tech industry.
