Meta Now Collects More Data From Ray-Bans to Bolster AI

Meta this week sent out an email (via The Verge) to Meta Ray-Ban customers informing them about upcoming privacy changes to the smart glasses, which will increase the amount of data that Meta is collecting by default.

meta ray bans
Meta says that voice recordings are stored by default when using Meta AI, and used to improve Meta products. Meta has eliminated the option to disable voice recording storage, and recordings need to be manually deleted in settings. Further, the "camera use" setting for Meta AI is now enabled by default.

From Meta's email:

  • Meta AI with camera use is always enabled on your glasses unless you turn off "Hey Meta."
  • Recordings of your voice are stored by default when using Meta AI and may be used to improve AI at Meta and other Meta products. The option to disable voice recordings storage is no longer available, but you can delete recordings anytime in Settings.
  • You're still in control. You can turn off "Hey Meta" or delete Meta AI interactions anytime.

Photos and videos taken with the built-in camera are stored on a connected smartphone and are not used by Meta for training, unless those photos are used by a Meta product. If a photo or video is used with Meta AI, or if cloud processing is turned on and media is sent to Meta's servers, it can be used to improving Meta's services. Of course, uploading images and video to Instagram and other Meta apps also gives Meta the exact same access.

So if you say "Hey Meta, record a video," by default Meta records the voice command and stores the recording and an audio transcript of it, a feature that is now turned on by default and can't be turned off. If cloud processing is also on, or if you ask Meta AI a question about the video, Meta can access and use the video for AI training purposes.

Turning off Meta AI entirely on the Ray-Ban glasses and using manual controls for snapping photos and videos is the best method to ensure that Meta isn't collecting excessive data. More information is available in Meta's privacy policy.

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Top Rated Comments

Devyn89 Avatar
3 weeks ago
Why anyone would trust Meta with their data after the last 15 years is beyond me.
Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Surf760 Avatar
3 weeks ago
Well this sure seems like a violation of California law for those individuals not wearing the glasses that are recorded without their knowledge because they interact with a person wearing a pair of Ray Ban Metas
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
noonas_the_mac_head Avatar
3 weeks ago
Nope - this is looking more and more like a Black Mirror company
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
isomorphic Avatar
3 weeks ago
So these glasses let you see Meta siphoning off your data more clearly?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reason077 Avatar
3 weeks ago
If you see anyone wearing these Ray Bans, they’re spying for Zuck!!
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iZac Avatar
3 weeks ago
You know how your Photos app gives you little recaps of pictures from events?

Imagine when Facebook just gives you a recap of every single thing you've ever seen.

Ugh, worse still - a dystopia where insurance companies won't insure you for anything unless they get unfiltered access to this stream.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)