Meta Platforms is facing a proposed consumer class action alleging the company misled buyers about the privacy protections of its AI-powered glasses. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims the devices were marketed as “designed for privacy” while failing to disclose that recorded footage could be reviewed by overseas contractors. Eyewear manufacturer Luxottica was also named as a defendant.
According to the complaint, “No reasonable consumer would understand the slogan ‘designed for privacy, controlled by you' or promises like 'built for your privacy' to mean deeply personal footage from inside their homes would be viewed and catalogued by human workers overseas.” Plaintiffs allege that sensitive recordings, including footage from private spaces, may be transmitted to company servers and later reviewed by contractors to help train AI systems.
A company spokesperson said, “Unless users choose to share media they’ve captured with Meta or others, that media stays on the user’s device.” The spokesperson added that the company may use contractors to review content voluntarily shared with its AI tools to improve performance while taking steps to remove identifying information. Plaintiffs seek damages and an injunction requiring changes to the company’s practices and marketing.
