The Oversight Lab has officially petitioned the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) to investigate privacy concerns raised by the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses under Section 8 and 9 of the Data Protection Act.
This follows a chilling report that footage collected the world over via the wearable glasses ends up in Nairobi where Kenyan workers are tasked with reviewing and labelling the data, what they describe as a horrific and traumatizing experience. The investigation by Göteborgs-Posten, Svenska Dagbladet and Naipanoi Lepapa details that the data labellers and annotators at Samasource Kenya EPZ Limited, were exposed to disturbing private recordings showing bathroom visits, intimate moments, bank card details, pornography, conversation on crime, violence and many more.
In the letter dated 6th March 2026, The Oversight Lab has raised the alarm on the possible use of the glasses for mass surveillance and non-consensual recording of intimate images and videos as highlighted by the recent revelations of a pick-up con artist who lured Kenyan women to his house and recorded their interactions without their consent using the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The Lab also protests the unlawful processing of personal data to train Meta AI and the exploitation of data labellers and annotators training the AI, seeking urgent confirmation from the Data Commissioner on whether the regulator will carry out the investigation as requested.
Mercy Mutemi, the Executice Director at The Oversight Lab said, “We are deeply concerned by the development of harmful technology through exploitation of vulnerable communities. Just as we saw in the Worldcoin case, Kenya is once again being used as a training ground for exploitative and harmful AI. We are especially concerned for the welfare of the data labellers and annotators who are exposed to traumatizing content from the Ray-Ban Meta glasses without adequate occupational health protections. We applaud the workers for speaking up as they exercised their constitutional right and duty to whistle-blow the violation of rights. Any harassment or worker retaliation by Meta and Sama will be met with the necessary legal action as we are a country that protects the right to freedom of expression.”
Allegations of exploitation of workers in the advancement of Meta’s products are not new. Meta and Sama have been facing human trafficking claims by former Facebook Content Moderators at the Kenya Employment and Labour Relations court. The moderators claim to have been deceptively recruited to clean up Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp) under exploitative working conditions. In those cases, the Court of Appeal held that Meta can be sued in Kenya. The cases are awaiting trial.
Tech workers have also united under the Africa Tech Workers Movement to protest the Kenyan government’s complicity in the exploitation of workers by AI companies. A separate case filed by The Oversight Lab and the Africa Tech Workers Movement challenges proposed amendments to the Employment Act providing immunity to tech companies like Meta for violation of the rights of workers, and the failure by the Senate to conduct public participation in consideration of those amendments. A judgement in that case is expected on 19th March 2026.
Individuals and organizations in support of the investigation can sign on to a Letter of Support here.