Hajra Naz
Meta Platforms is now facing a lawsuit in the United States over its AI smart glasses and alleged privacy shortcomings. The legal action follows a Swedish newspaper investigation revealing that workers at a Kenya-based subcontractor reviewed footage captured by customers’ glasses, including sensitive content such as nudity, sexual activity, and private moments like using the toilet.
Meta has claimed that it blurs faces in images, but sources told investigators that this process was not consistently effective. The report prompted the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to open an investigation into the matter.
Details of the U.S. Lawsuit
The U.S. complaint, filed by Gina Bartone (New Jersey) and Mateo Canu (California), represented by Clarkson Law Firm, alleges that Meta violated privacy laws and engaged in false advertising.
Plaintiffs claim Meta advertised the smart glasses using phrases like
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“Designed for privacy, controlled by you.”
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“Built for your privacy.”
They argue these statements misled customers, who would not expect overseas workers to review footage containing intimate moments. The complaint also names Luxottica of America, Meta’s glasses manufacturing partner, citing violations of consumer protection laws.
Clarkson Law Firm emphasized the scale of the issue: in 2025, over seven million people will purchase Meta smart glasses. Footage captured by these devices enters a data pipeline for review, and users currently cannot opt out.
Read More: This New App Warns You When Someone Nearby Is Wearing Smart Glasses
Meta’s Response
Meta told the BBC that contractors review user content to improve the experience with the glasses, as outlined in its privacy policy. The company pointed to the Supplemental Meta Platforms Terms of Service, which mention that, in some cases, interactions with Meta AI—including content shared with the AI—may be reviewed manually or automatically.
However, the U.S. complaint argues that Meta’s advertisements highlighted privacy benefits, describing controls and added layers of security without clearly disclosing that human reviewers might access private footage. One ad stated:
“You’re in control of your data and content,” implying that owners could choose which content to share.
Broader Concerns Around Smart Glasses
The lawsuit reflects wider concerns about “luxury surveillance” devices, including always-listening AI gadgets. Developers have even created apps that detect nearby smart glasses to alert individuals when recording devices are present.
Meta spokesperson Christopher Sgro said:
“Ray-Ban Meta glasses help you use AI, hands-free, to answer questions about the world around you. Unless users choose to share media, it stays on the device. When people share content with Meta AI, we sometimes use contractors to review this data to improve the experience. We take steps to filter this data to protect privacy and prevent identifying information from being reviewed.”
Meta did not comment on the litigation itself at the time of reporting.
Read More: Meta Plans In-House Chips for Training Advanced AI Models
FAQs
1. Why is Meta being sued over its AI smart glasses?
Meta is facing a lawsuit because workers at a subcontractor reportedly reviewed sensitive footage from smart glasses, raising privacy concerns.
2. What content was reportedly reviewed in AI smart glasses?
The footage included nudity, sexual activity, and private moments such as using the toilet.
3. Who filed the lawsuit over Meta’s AI smart glasses?
The complaint was filed by Gina Bartone (New Jersey) and Mateo Canu (California), represented by Clarkson Law Firm.
4. Does Meta allow contractors to review content?
Yes, according to Meta, contractors review user content to improve experiences with the glasses, but users are not always aware that this happens.
5. How does this lawsuit relate to Meta’s advertising?
Plaintiffs allege that Meta advertised the glasses as privacy-focused, misleading users into thinking their footage would remain private without disclosure of human review.
