Meta Smart Glasses Face Lawsuits Over Intimate Images, Privacy Claims

More than 70 people who bought, used or were recorded by Meta smart glasses have filed a proposed class action lawsuit against the company in federal court in Northern California, according to court records amended in late August. The suit alleges that intimate and sensitive images captured by the camera-equipped eyewear were transmitted to contractors in Kenya who review and label photos and videos for Meta’s artificial intelligence training.

The legal action comes as Meta prepared to unveil new wearables on Sept. 23 at its developers’ conference in Menlo Park, California. The lawsuit, which accuses Meta of fraud, false advertising and violations of state consumer protection laws, seeks to block the company from deploying biometric tools through its glasses.

Meta has denied the allegations and said it will defend against them in court, according to a company spokesperson. The cases remain pending, with no rulings issued on the central claims.

Allegations Detail Unintended Recordings and Data Transmission

The lawsuit alleges that the camera-equipped glasses captured footage of users and family members undressing, using the bathroom, making love and entering passwords, without their knowledge. A California user identified as PL18 alleged his glasses recorded after he placed them on a bathroom counter. Meanwhile, a Los Angeles user identified as PL01 used Meta AI during an intimate moment in his bedroom, the lawsuit said.

The plaintiffs allege that every activation of AI features, intentional or accidental, captures video and audio that is transmitted to Meta servers and routed overseas to low-paid human workers. The suit further accuses Meta of fraud, false advertising and violating consumer protection laws in various states.

Tina Wolfson, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the case centres on surveillance without consent and exploitation of image and likeness. “People did not sign up to have their most private moments reviewed by strangers overseas,” Wolfson said.

Meta Disputes Claims, Cites Privacy Protections

Meta said it disagrees with the allegations and intends to fight them. A spokesperson said Meta may review data to improve products, as many other companies do, and that it takes steps to filter identifying information.

Meta states its glasses include privacy protections such as a light that signals when the device is recording. Meta’s website states that when a user asks Meta AI about what is in front of them, the camera activates to help answer, images are not saved to the photo gallery, and faces and license plates are blurred.

Investigation by Swedish Newspapers Describes Review Work

However, the lawsuit cites a February investigation by Swedish newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten. The report stated that journalists interviewed more than 30 employees at Meta subcontractor Sama and former Meta employees.

Some workers in Kenya who reviewed images captured on smart glasses told the news outlet that faces sometimes appeared even when they were supposed to be blurred. The investigation revealed a hidden pipeline where sensitive user footage, including scenes of nudity and private conversations, is routinely reviewed by overseas contractors, without the knowledge of the people being recorded.

The news prompted the U.K. regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office, to launch an inquiry into Meta’s data processing practices. Meta claimed it was blurring faces in images, but sources disputed that this blurring consistently worked.

NameTag Facial Recognition Feature Draws Separate Lawsuit

The lawsuit seeks to block Meta from deploying biometric tools through its glasses. Meta has been exploring a feature called NameTag that would allow people to identify others, according to the lawsuit. Meta Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth said during a July podcast that the feature would allow people to remember names of others they met.

The American Civil Liberties Union and more than 70 organizations said in an April letter to Meta that facial recognition features pose a serious threat to privacy and civil liberties, and urged the company not to release them. A separate lawsuit filed in September in federal court in Illinois alleges Meta used images of people’s faces from public Facebook and Instagram accounts to train AI for NameTag and other tools.

Justin Boley, a lawyer representing plaintiffs in the Illinois case, said people should not have to worry about misuse of biometric information simply because photographs appear on a virtual communication platform. Meta said it has been transparent about its use of virtual communication data and is not building a universal face database.

The legal challenges unfold as privacy advocates continue to raise concerns about the convergence of AI, wearable cameras and biometric identification. The provided sources do not address whether Meta plans to alter its product roadmap in response to the litigation.

yogaesoteric
September 29, 2026