Dutch Nonprofit Takes Meta to Court Over AI Glasses Privacy Concerns

Offlimits sues Meta over AI glasses sales

Dutch privacy advocacy group Offlimits is taking Meta to court in an effort to stop sales of its AI-equipped smart glasses in the Netherlands. The group argues that the devices' built-in cameras make secretly filming people easier and may violate privacy law.

Meta markets the glasses for recording scenery, answering questions about landmarks and attractions, and getting directions. Offlimits says the products have instead been used to film women without their knowledge and upload the images to so-called "creepshot" platforms.

"These spy glasses are a recipe for trouble. We're therefore drawing the line. Concealing a camera in an everyday object encourages inappropriate behavior," Offlimits Director Robbert Hoving said in a statement.

Meta pushes back as deadline passes

Offlimits gave Meta until October 13 to voluntarily stop selling the camera glasses in the Netherlands and enter talks on a solution. Meta chose to continue sales instead.

Alex Himel, Meta's Vice President of Wearables, said during an online meeting with journalists that early smartphones with cameras also caused an uproar. He added that bad actors are working hard to disable the glasses' indicator LED, describing a "cat-and-mouse game" between Meta and misuse.

Hoving rejected that framing in an interview with Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad. "It's always the user's fault. It's not like you're putting something on the market that makes abuse easy. The company washes its hands of any responsibility while raking in huge profits. And we won't accept that. That's why we're taking this to court," he said.

GDPR concerns and wider restrictions

Offlimits' lawyer argued that secretly filming others infringes the fundamental right to privacy and the GDPR, and is often a criminal offense. He said all recordings end up in Meta's systems, meaning Meta itself may violate the GDPR and could face criminal prosecution for processing the material.

Opposition to the devices is spreading. Dutch eyewear chain Hans Anders suspended sales of Meta's smart glasses indefinitely in the Netherlands and Belgium. Norway introduced a temporary ban on smart glasses in privacy-sensitive public spaces, including parks, museums, schools, playgrounds, and locations with wardrobes and showers.

"We do not want a society where people are concerned about hidden audio recordings, photography, and filming in places and in situations where they are used to being without being monitored," Norway's Minister of Digitalization and Public Governance, Torgeir Micaelsen, said. He warned that such a society can be experienced as unsafe and can make people pull away. Several other European countries are now considering stricter rules on the sale and use of smart glasses.

Sources: Cybernews