Meta Faces Lawsuit After Report Reveals Humans Reviewed Ray-Ban AI Glasses Footage

Meta is facing a lawsuit in the United States over privacy concerns related to its AI Ray-Ban smart glasses after reports revealed that human reviewers had access to footage captured by the devices.

The lawsuit was filed by Gina Bartone of New Jersey and Mateo Canu of California, who are represented by Clarkson Law Firm. They allege that Meta violated consumer protection laws and engaged in false advertising by overstating the privacy protections associated with its smart glasses.

The lawsuit follows an investigation by Swedish newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten, which reported that workers at a Kenya-based subcontractor were reviewing footage recorded by users of Meta’s smart glasses. 

According to the report, the material included sensitive content such as nudity, people having sex, and other private moments inadvertently captured by the devices.

Plaintiffs argue that the practice raises significant privacy concerns for both users and bystanders who may be recorded without consent. The lawsuit claims Meta’s marketing created the impression that captured data would be processed primarily by automated systems, while the role of human reviewers was not clearly disclosed.

Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, developed in partnership with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica, allow users to take photos, record video, livestream, and interact with an AI assistant through built-in cameras, microphones, and speakers.

The French-Italian eyewear group reported selling more than 7 million AI glasses in 2025, compared with a combined 2 million units sold across 2023 and 2024, according to its previous quarterly disclosure.

The legal challenge comes as the smart-glasses market expands rapidly but faces growing scrutiny over privacy and surveillance risks. Experts have warned that devices capable of discreetly recording video and processing biometric or visual data could raise compliance issues under privacy laws in several jurisdictions.

Meta has not publicly commented in detail on the lawsuit. The case adds to a series of legal and regulatory challenges surrounding smart eyewear and the broader use of AI consumer devices.