Meta smart glasses face UK privacy probe • The Register
Meta smart glasses face UK privacy probe • The Register
https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/05/ico_meta_glasses/
Publish Date: 2026-03-05 07:18:00
Source Domain: www.theregister.com
Britain’s privacy watchdog is asking questions about Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses after reports that human contractors reviewing recordings from the devices were exposed to extremely private moments captured by unsuspecting users.
Ray Ban Meta smart glasses on sale in a retail display case. Pic credit: Columbo.photog/ Shutterstock
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) confirmed it is contacting Meta following an investigation by Swedish outlets Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten that claims outsourced workers tasked with improving Meta’s AI systems routinely review footage showing everything from everyday conversations to far more intimate scenes.
Hide from Meta’s spyglasses with this new Android app
READ MORE
The fuss revolves around Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, ordinary-looking frames stuffed with cameras, microphones, and an AI assistant that can take photos, shoot video, and respond to voice commands. Meta’s terms note that some interactions may be reviewed by humans to improve the system, but according to the Swedish investigation, that review queue can occasionally include moments wearers likely didn’t expect strangers to watch.
According to interviews with dozens of workers employed by a Meta subcontractor in Nairobi, Kenya, their job involves labeling and reviewing video, audio, and transcripts collected from the glasses so the company’s AI models can better interpret real-world scenes and conversations.
Some of the workers interviewed claim the review queue isn’t just harmless AI prompts. Some clips show people getting dressed or using the toilet, while others capture private conversations about relationships, politics, or alleged wrongdoing. Others interviewed by the Swedish outlets claimed the clips occasionally include things like bank cards, personal paperwork, or other identifying details inadvertently caught on camera. As one employee put it: “We see everything.”
The investigation raises questions about cross-border data flows….
