Meta sued over AI smart glasses privacy after workers reviewed nudity, sex and other sensitive footage

Meta RayBan

• Meta sued in US over privacy concerns with AI smart glasses
• Plaintiffs allege Meta overstated privacy in smart glasses ads
• UK privacy watchdog also investigating Meta's smart glasses

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Meta Platforms is facing a new lawsuit in the United States over privacy concerns linked to its AI-enabled smart glasses, following reports that contractors reviewed sensitive footage captured by users.

The legal complaint was filed by Gina Bartone of New Jersey and Mateo Canu of California, who are represented by the Clarkson Law Firm. The plaintiffs allege that Meta violated consumer protection laws and engaged in false advertising by overstating the privacy safeguards of its smart glasses.

The lawsuit comes after Swedish media investigations reported that workers at a Kenya-based subcontractor reviewed footage collected from the glasses. According to the reports, some of the reviewed material included highly sensitive content such as nudity, sexual activity and people using the toilet.

Meta had said faces were blurred in the images being reviewed, but sources cited in the reports claimed the blurring technology did not consistently work.

The revelations have also attracted regulatory scrutiny in the UK. The country’s privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, has launched an investigation into the matter.

The US lawsuit focuses heavily on how the smart glasses were marketed. According to the complaint, Meta promoted the product using phrases such as “designed for privacy, controlled by you” and “built for your privacy,” which plaintiffs argue gave users the impression their footage would remain private.

The plaintiffs say they were unaware that footage could be reviewed by overseas contractors and claim no clear disclaimer was presented contradicting the privacy messaging in advertisements.

The case also names Luxottica of America, the manufacturing partner behind Meta’s glasses, accusing both companies of conduct that allegedly violates consumer protection laws.

The complaint highlights the scale of the issue, noting that more than seven million people purchased Meta’s smart glasses in 2025. It also alleges that footage captured by the devices feeds into a data pipeline used for review and that users cannot opt out of that process.

Meta told the BBC that when users choose to share content with its AI services, the company sometimes uses contractors to review the data to improve the user experience. The company said such practices are outlined in its privacy policies and terms of service.

A US version of Meta’s AI terms states that the company may review interactions with its AI systems — including messages and conversations — through automated systems or human review.

Meta spokesperson Christopher Sgro said the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are designed to keep media on the user’s device unless people choose to share it. When shared with Meta AI, he said, contractors may review the data to improve services while the company takes steps to filter sensitive information.