Meta’s approach to data privacy is under scrutiny again, with new investigations being launched into how the company reviews content captured via Meta’s AI glasses, and how users could unwittingly be exposing private insight into their lives.
Earlier this week, Swedish publication Svenska Dagbladet published the findings of its investigation into how Meta is reviewing footage captured via its smart glasses. The publication reported that Meta contractors in Kenya often reviewed very personal content, including “bathroom visits, sex and other intimate moments.”
As further reported by The Verge, Meta’s Nairobi-based contractors presumably reviewed this content for data training and labeled the captured visuals to help Meta’s systems make sense of the data. But that also means Meta AI users are potentially sharing insights into their personal lives, which also includes shots of credit cards and bank account details.
While Meta notes in the usage terms of its Meta AI glasses that users are giving their consent to allow any content uploaded to the platform to be reviewed by humans, it seems unlikely that users are fully aware of the scope of data they could be sharing through the device.
As a result, Meta is now facing investigations in the U.K. and the U.S. The company could once again be forced to explain its approach to data privacy and how it handles the rights of its consumers.
As reported by The Register, the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office has launched an official investigation into the claims, while in the U.S., TechCrunch reports that a lawsuit has been filed that alleges Meta has violated privacy laws and engaged in false advertising in allowing this kind of exposure.
For its part, Meta has told the BBC that any media captured through its glasses stays on the users’ device unless they choose to share it. If users do choose to share the content, however, Meta does use contractors to review any footage.
It could be another bad PR showing for Meta. The company is also currently engaged in a court trial over allegedly prioritizing its own growth instead of protecting teen users.
Meta’s history of data protection is already not great, and every further question and issue raises more concerns and dampens public opinion about the company and its apps.
That has likely already impacted perception of some of its products. And with Meta looking to push its smart glasses as the future of digital connection, issues like this could also impede take-up and limit its market potential.
As such, Meta will likely be very keen to address these concerns and implement measures to offer more protection to avoid a PR backlash.
Though, really, what the industry has seen with Meta products over time is that people don’t care about privacy as much as they do about utility. If more people start wearing Meta’s smart glasses, sales are going to keep rising regardless of these concerns.
