The UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, has contacted Meta Platforms after reports that outsourced workers were able to view sensitive footage from the company’s AI-powered smart glasses. The glasses, developed in partnership with Ray-Ban, allow users to record videos and interact with AI hands-free.
According to Swedish newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and Goteborgs-Posten, workers at a Nairobi-based subcontractor, Sama, sometimes viewed intimate content, including users in private situations such as bathrooms or bedrooms. Meta stated these reviews were meant to improve the device experience and that content is filtered to protect privacy, though the safeguards occasionally fail.
The ICO emphasized that devices processing personal data, including smart glasses, must provide users with control and clear transparency over what data is collected and how it is used. Meta said it continuously works on refining privacy protections, but the ICO will formally request information on how the company is meeting UK data protection obligations.
