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Meta is facing a mounting privacy scandal following reports that intimate footage recorded by its Ray-Ban smart glasses is being viewed by human contractors in Kenya.
According to a report by The Telegraph, workers at a Nairobi-based outsourcing firm are tasked with reviewing and labelling video clips – some of which reportedly include users in highly private situations – to help train the company’s artificial intelligence.
The £300 glasses, which feature built-in cameras and microphones, allow users to record first-person video and interact with a “Hey Meta” AI chatbot. While Meta claims the device was “designed for privacy” and includes an LED light to signal when it is recording, the human reality behind the AI’s development appears far more invasive.
“We See Everything”
Contractors working for Sama, a technology firm used by Meta, told investigators that they frequently encounter sensitive content while acting as “data annotators.” These workers, who are paid to categorize video data to improve Meta’s software, claimed to have viewed clips of people undressing, using the bathroom, and even engaging in sexual activity.
“In some videos you can see someone going to the toilet, or getting undressed,” one worker told reporters, as cited by The Telegraph. “I don’t think they know, because if they knew they wouldn’t be recording.” Another worker added a more blunt assessment of the oversight: “We see everything—from living rooms to naked bodies.”
Meta’s privacy policy does state that “manual (human)” reviews of AI interactions may occur to improve the service. However, the revelation that this extends to raw video footage captured in private homes has sparked fresh outrage.
In response, a Meta spokesman told The Telegraph that the company uses contractors to review data to improve the user experience, but insisted that data is “first filtered to protect people’s privacy.”
This incident mirrors past privacy breaches by other tech giants, such as the 2019 scandal where Apple was accused of monitoring Siri conversations. Apple ultimately paid a $95m (£71.4m) settlement after claims of privacy violations, although it admitted no wrongdoing.
Via The Telegraph
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