Data from Meta glasses is processed in Africa for $2 an hour 0 11

Technology manufacturers have been trying for years to integrate smart glasses into everyday life. For example, Google once promoted Glass, but the device faced criticism due to privacy risks. Meta took a different approach and created glasses in the Ray-Ban format, which look almost indistinguishable from regular frames.

This disguise made the device popular: millions of units have been sold worldwide. However, users are increasingly curious about what exactly these glasses record and process. This is especially true for the artificial intelligence (AI) features responsible for processing images and sound.

Journalists from Sweden discovered that the device transmits not only regular videos and snippets of conversations to the company's servers, as reported by watson.de. It turns out that recordings that users would never want to show to outsiders are also processed.

Investigation: Meta gains access to extremely personal materials

According to materials from Svenska Dagbladet and Goteborgs-Posten, Ray-Ban and Oakley glasses automatically send audio, photos, and videos to Meta's servers. These data are then sent to an outsourcing company, Sama, located in Nairobi (Kenya). There, employees manually label the materials to improve AI algorithms.

While working, Sama specialists see a wide variety of scenes. In particular, journalists were told about videos from bedrooms and living rooms, footage of changing clothes, visits to the bathroom, and even intimate contacts. Sources claim that faces and bodies of people are sometimes clearly visible.

At the same time, Sama employees are not allowed to discuss what they see due to strict confidentiality agreements and stringent security rules in the office.

Algorithm errors and lack of anonymity

Meta officially states that such recordings should not be used to train AI. Faces, bank cards, and other sensitive data are supposedly supposed to be automatically obscured. However, as former Meta employees reported, the system works intermittently.

Algorithms sometimes fail, especially in poor lighting. As a result, images of bodies and faces are hardly blurred. Additionally, journalists personally checked the functions of the glasses. The user can disable data transmission, but then the AI functions stop working.

Thus, the choice is limited: either privacy or the capabilities of artificial intelligence.

Working conditions in Kenya: surveillance and minimal wages

At the same time, the investigation revealed that workers analyzing Meta's data are under strict surveillance. For example, cameras are installed directly in the offices, phones are prohibited, and discussing working conditions can lead to dismissal.

What is known about the employer Sama:

• the company previously worked for OpenAI and Facebook;
• employees encountered heavy content, including scenes of violence;
• earnings were only $1.32–2 per hour;
• after complaints about trauma and stress, Sama ceased content moderation in 2023.

This data was partially confirmed by Time magazine, which conducted its own investigation.

Conflict with European legislation

In EU countries, there is a strict data protection law — DSGVO (known as GDPR). It requires companies to ensure the same level of protection with contractors, even if they operate outside Europe. The Swedish regulator IMY reminds that the processing of user data in third countries must comply with European standards.

However, for Kenya, the EU has not issued a decision recognizing an adequate level of data protection. Therefore, the transmission of videos for processing in Nairobi may be considered a violation of European legislation.

Meta explains that it uses a global infrastructure because it operates worldwide. Nevertheless, the legality of such data transmission remains an open question.

How this affects users

The investigation raises serious questions about how safe it is to use Meta's AI glasses in Europe. The device may record more than it seems, and the data could end up in the hands of third parties.

Moreover, disabling data transmission deprives the glasses of essential functions. Therefore, users are effectively forced to sacrifice one of the sides — either convenience or privacy.