Meta is under fire after it axed a contract with Kenya-based data annotation company Sama following allegations that workers witnessed users engaging in sexual activities while wearing the firm’s smart glasses.

The revelation prompted the UK's ICO and Kenyan regulators to launch investigations into privacy concerns, raising questions about the ethical implications of AI-powered wearables. Meta maintains it ended the contract due to non-compliance with its standards, but critics point to a pattern of mistreatment of workers reviewing user-generated content.

The smart glasses, designed for use in various applications including translation and object recognition, have sparked concern over their potential misuse. Sama, which began as a non-profit aiming to provide tech jobs, now claims to be an “ethical” B-corp but has faced scrutiny before over similar contracts with Meta.

As concerns mount around the ethics of AI-driven technologies, this case highlights the delicate balance between innovation and privacy in the digital age. A legal challenge from African workers could set a precedent for future tech contracts.