Meta is facing a new class-action lawsuit alleging false advertising regarding the privacy features of its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. The lawsuit claims the company misled users by failing to disclose that human contractors review sensitive footage, including intimate moments, captured by the devices to train Meta's AI models. This legal challenge underscores growing concerns about data handling in always-on wearable tech.
The Lawsuit: "Surveillance Conduit" Allegations
A class-action lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco, accuses Meta of "affirmatively false advertising" concerning the privacy protections of its AI-powered smart glasses. The complaint follows reports that subcontractors in Kenya were tasked with reviewing footage captured by users' glasses, reportedly including highly personal material such as bathroom visits, sexual encounters, and other private details. These workers, according to a Swedish newspaper report, were part of a data labeling operation designed to help train Meta's artificial intelligence models.The lawsuit, brought by Clarkson Law Firm, names two individuals from California and New Jersey who purchased the smart glasses. They assert they relied on Meta's marketing claims about privacy and would not have bought the devices had they known about the involvement of human contractors in reviewing footage. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief, aiming to compel Meta to change its practices and disclosures.
