A new lawsuit is putting Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses under intense scrutiny over how user footage is handled behind the scenes.
The Meta AI smart glasses lawsuit was filed in the United States by Gina Bartone of New Jersey and Mateo Canu of California. Represented by Clarkson Law Firm, the plaintiffs claim Meta misled customers through advertising that framed the glasses as privacy-first devices.
The case arrived after an investigation by Swedish newspapers reported that contractors working for a Meta subcontractor in Kenya reviewed footage captured through the glasses. According to the investigation, some of that material included extremely personal moments, including nudity, sexual activity, and people using the bathroom.
Meta previously said the system blurs faces in recorded content to protect privacy. However, people familiar with the review process told reporters the blurring feature did not always function reliably.
The lawsuit focuses heavily on Meta’s marketing language. Promotional materials reportedly promised the glasses were “designed for privacy, controlled by you” and “built for your privacy.” Plaintiffs argue that those statements gave customers the impression their recordings would remain private and not be viewed by outside contractors.
The complaint also names Luxottica of America, the eyewear company that manufactures the Ray-Ban-branded devices, and alleges both companies violated consumer protection laws.
Clarkson Law Firm pointed to the scale of the issue, noting that more than seven million pairs of Meta’s smart glasses were sold in 2025. The firm argues that user content collected through the devices can enter a review system that customers cannot opt out of.
Meta declined to comment on the lawsuit itself.
However, company spokesperson Christopher Sgro said the media remains on the device unless users decide to share it.
“When people share content with Meta AI, we sometimes use contractors to review this data for the purpose of improving people’s experience, as many other companies do,” Sgro said.
