Swedish Probe Reveals Meta Glasses Data to Kenyan Workers

An investigation by Swedish newspapers has uncovered that users of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses in Europe are sharing intimate videos and sensitive financial details with human contractors based in Kenya, raising significant privacy concerns under regional data protection laws.

The report, published last week by Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten, details how footage captured by the glasses' built-in cameras and microphones is reviewed by workers at Sama, a Nairobi-based firm contracted by Meta. These annotators label visual and audio data to train the company's artificial intelligence models, a process essential for features like the "Hey Meta" AI assistant that responds to user queries and analyzes surroundings. Over seven million pairs of the glasses have been sold globally in recent years, with users activating recording through a simple tap or voice command.

Workers interviewed for the investigation described encountering highly personal content without prior filtering. They reported viewing clips of people undressing, using the bathroom, or engaging in sexual activity, often captured unintentionally when users forgot to stop recording or left the devices on surfaces...