Key facts
- Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses may have recorded audio and video without users' knowledge due to a bug.
- The issue lends credence to reports of nonconsensual recordings.
- A lawsuit seeking class action certification has been filed in the US.
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating the matter.
Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses have been found to be capable of recording audio and video inadvertently, even when the device's indicator light was active, according to a report. This glitch lends credence to ongoing concerns that the smart glasses could be used for nonconsensual recordings. Contractors for Sama, a data annotation company, reported viewing footage shot by the glasses that appeared to be recorded without the knowledge of the wearer or other individuals present. The report, which interviewed over 30 Sama workers, highlighted a stream of privacy-sensitive data being fed into Meta's systems. In the US, this has led to a class-action lawsuit and an investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. While Meta had previously updated the glasses to prevent recording if the indicator light is covered, the recent bug and worker reports suggest that even well-meaning users could inadvertently capture recordings.