Data Privacy: Why Meta Called it Quits with Sama
Meta has cancelled a major training-data contract with Sama, a company that annotates data for AI systems, ending a partnership that began in 2017.
The decision has resulted in 1,108 Sama employees in Nairobi, Kenya, being made redundant, with workers saying they received six days’ notice.
Many of those affected are already part of a US$1.6bn lawsuit against Meta over working conditions and mental health harms from past content moderation roles.
Sensitive footage claims surface
An investigation by Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten in February 2024 reported that private footage from Meta’s smart glasses, including people having sex or using the toilet, is sometimes viewed by Sama contractors.
A Meta spokesperson told the BBC: “Subcontracted workers review content captured by the glasses to improve people’s experience with the glasses, as stated in our Privacy Policy.”
Sama disputes any suggestion it has failed to meet requirements. It says: “Sama has consistently met the operational, security and quality standards required across our client engagements, including with Meta.
“At no point were we notified of any failure to meet those standards, and we stand firmly behind the quality and integrity of our work.”
How human review works
Sama workers review transcripts of interactions with Meta’s AI to check if responses are accurate and safe. This is part of a human-in-the-loop process used to improve system performance.
Meta says that faces are blurred in material prepared for review. Staff reports indicate that filtering can fail in low light, such as in bedrooms or when the camera moves quickly.
Meta adds: "Unless users choose to share media they have captured with Meta or others, that media stays on the user’s device. When people share content with Meta AI, we sometimes use contractors to review this data for the purpose of improving people’s experience, as many other companies do."
Smart glasses and privacy safeguards
Meta unveiled AI-enabled smart glasses with Ray‑Ban in September 2023. The eyewear interprets images and sound to enable features like text translation and real-time Q&A about surroundings.
These functions can help people who are blind or partially sighted. The frames include a small indicator light that illuminates whenever the camera is recording.
Users must start recording manually or through a voice command. Many people may not realise that content shared with Meta AI can be reviewed by human contractors.
Advocates have long raised concerns about misuse, including filming people without consent in public and private spaces.
Regulatory response and next steps
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) told the BBC in March that devices processing personal data, including smart glasses, should put users in control and provide for appropriate transparency.
The ICO added: “Service providers must clearly explain what data is collected and how it is used."
The regulator has written to Meta to request information on compliance with UK data protection law.
Meta maintains that contractor review is a standard industry practice aimed at product improvement, while emphasising that user media remains on-device unless shared.
As Meta transitions away from Sama, the decision raises questions about safeguards for bystanders and the duty of care for workers who handle sensitive content.
