Meta faces lawsuits over nudity claims

Meta is facing a class action lawsuit in the United States over privacy concerns related to its AI-powered smart glasses, following reports that contractors are reviewing sensitive user footage captured by the devices.

The lawsuit comes after an investigation by Swedish media revealed that workers employed by a Kenya-based subcontractor had access to videos and images recorded with customers’ glasses.

According to reports, some of the footage reviewed included highly sensitive moments such as nudity, people having sex, and people using the toilet.

Meta said that the faces captured in the images were blurred to protect privacy. However, sources cited in the investigation disputed the effectiveness of the feature and claimed that the blurring did not work consistently.

These findings also attracted the attention of regulators. The UK Information Commissioner’s Office confirmed it had opened an investigation into the matter.

In a newly filed complaint in the US, plaintiffs Gina Bartone of New Jersey and Mateo Canu of California accuse Meta of violating privacy and consumer protection laws. The lawsuit, filed with support from the public interest-focused Clarkson Law Firm, also accuses the company of false advertising.

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According to the complaint, Meta markets the smart glasses using warranties such as “designed for privacy, controlled by you” and “built for your privacy.” Plaintiffs argue that these claims could lead users to believe that recordings from the glasses will remain private, without the possibility of review by overseas contractors.

They also said they were not made aware of a clear disclaimer indicating that the footage, including potentially intimate moments, might have been accessible to human reviewers.

The lawsuit names Meta and its eyewear manufacturing partner, Luxottica of America, alleging their actions violate consumer protection laws.

Responding to the concerns, Meta told the BBC that when users share content with Meta AI, the company may rely on contractors to review the information to improve the product experience. The company says these practices are outlined in its privacy policy and additional terms of service.

However, the BBC reports that explicit references to human review are easier to find in AI Meta’s terms of service in the UK. The version of the policy in effect in the United States states that Meta may review user interactions with its AI systems and that such reviews may be conducted automatically or manually by humans.