Tech giant Meta Platforms is facing a lawsuit in the United States over alleged privacy violations linked to its AI-powered smart glasses.
The case follows claims that workers at a Kenya-based contractor reviewed sensitive user footage, according to TechCrunch.
The lawsuit comes after Swedish media outlets reported that employees at a subcontractor in Kenya were tasked with reviewing images and videos captured by users of Meta’s smart glasses.
Some of the material reportedly included highly sensitive content.
TechCrunch reports that the footage was part of a review process intended to improve the glasses’ artificial intelligence features.
However, the revelations have raised concerns about how user data is handled and whether consumers were adequately informed that human reviewers could access their private recordings.
The complaint was filed in the United States by Gina Bartone of New Jersey and Mateo Canu of California.
The plaintiffs are represented by the public interest-focused Clarkson Law Firm, which has previously pursued cases against major technology companies.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs accuse Meta of violating privacy and consumer protection laws and of engaging in misleading advertising regarding the capabilities and safeguards of the smart glasses.
The complaint contends that Meta marketed the glasses with statements such as “designed for privacy, controlled by you” and “built for your privacy,” which allegedly led customers to believe their recordings would remain private. The plaintiffs say they were not informed that contractors overseas could review their content.
Meta’s manufacturing partner, Luxottica, is also named in the lawsuit.
According to TechCrunch, the legal action highlights the scale of the product’s reach. In 2025 alone, more than seven million people reportedly purchased Meta’s smart glasses, raising questions about the volume of personal data potentially subject to review.
The complaint alleges that footage captured by the glasses is fed into a data pipeline where it may be examined by human reviewers to train or improve AI systems, with no option for users to opt out.
Meta has defended its practices, stating that human review occurs only when users voluntarily share content with its AI systems. The company told the BBC that contractors may review data submitted to Meta AI to improve user experience.
The company cited its privacy policy and supplemental terms of service, which it says explain that interactions with its AI products may be reviewed manually or automatically. One version of the policy noted by TechCrunch states that Meta may review interactions with AI systems, including conversations and messages, through automated systems or human review.
A spokesperson for Meta said that media captured by the glasses typically remains on the user’s device unless intentionally shared with Meta or other platforms.
“Ray-Ban Meta glasses help you use AI hands-free to answer questions about the world around you,” Meta spokesperson Christopher Sgro said.
He added that the company uses contractors to review some shared data and takes steps to filter material to protect users’ privacy and prevent identifying information from being exposed.
The controversy reflects broader concerns about emerging wearable technology, including smart glasses and AI-powered devices capable of continuously collecting data.
