Meta fires 1,100 AI trainers after Ray-Ban glasses privacy scandal
Original: Meta contractor fires 1,100 AI trainers after they revealed Ray-Ban glasses recorded private and intimate footage
Why This Matters
Highlights ongoing privacy and labor concerns in AI training amid smart glasses adoption
Meta terminated its contract with Sama after workers revealed Ray-Ban smart glasses recorded private footage including banking info and intimate moments. Sama subsequently fired 1,108 employees in Kenya, some claiming retaliation for whistleblowing.
Meta ended its relationship with contractor Sama following reports that the firm's workers in Nairobi were forced to label sensitive footage from Ray-Ban smart glasses showing people who appeared unaware of being recorded. The glasses' AI assistant captures audio and video for training data, with human contractors reviewing material AI cannot process. Sama employees reported seeing banking information, private conversations, people in bathrooms, and intimate encounters. After the February disclosure by Swedish newspapers, Meta cancelled the contract citing failure to meet standards. Sama denied receiving warnings about substandard work and fired 1,108 employees. Some workers alleged retaliation for whistleblowing. Sama previously worked with OpenAI on ChatGPT training, paying Kenyan workers under $2 daily to filter toxic content.