European Union lawmakers have raised concerns over privacy risks linked to smart glasses developed by Meta after reports suggested the devices may have captured sensitive footage without the knowledge of individuals involved. Members of the European Parliament have asked the European Commission to provide clarity on the issue following claims that recordings taken by the artificial intelligence powered glasses included intimate moments involving individuals who had not provided consent.
The concerns emerged after Swedish media outlets reported that the Ray Ban artificial intelligence glasses recorded and uploaded footage that could violate the European Union’s strict consent requirements under the General Data Protection Regulation. According to the reports, some of the captured material contained sensitive personal content. The issue has intensified debate around how emerging consumer technologies collect and process personal data in everyday environments where individuals may not be aware that recording is taking place.
Reports also indicated that data collected from users in Europe was sent to Sama, a third party contractor based in Kenya, where human reviewers were tasked with evaluating the images. Individuals involved in the review process reportedly said they viewed images that included people changing clothes and other private situations. Some reviewers expressed concern that the recordings appeared to have been captured without the individuals involved being aware that they were being recorded.
Reviewers also indicated that Meta had attempted to apply measures such as blurring faces and other anonymisation techniques to protect identities. However, they suggested that these safeguards did not always function effectively, allowing identifiable details to remain visible in certain images. Under European Union privacy regulations, companies are required to provide clear information and obtain consent before collecting and processing personal data. Additional safeguards are also required when data is transferred to countries that do not have an officially recognised level of data protection.
Kenya is currently negotiating adequacy recognition with the European Commission, which means companies transferring personal data to the country must rely on contractual protections to ensure compliance with European privacy rules. The Irish Data Protection Commission, which oversees Meta’s compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation in Europe, has been contacted regarding the matter as questions continue about whether the company followed the required regulatory procedures. Lawmakers have also urged the European Commission to review whether proposed policy changes within the Digital Omnibus package could weaken existing privacy protections, particularly at a time when artificial intelligence technologies are expanding into consumer devices.
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