Meta Workers Say They're Seeing Disturbing Things Through Users' Smart Glasses

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/meta-disturbing-smart-glasses

395 points · 94 comments · view on lemmy.world

94 Comments

Numinous_Ylem@lemmy.world · 170 pts · 173d (5 replies)

Frankly humanity does not need this invention one bit.

It may have legitmately sounded interesting and futuristic to some people a decade ago, but with the way tech companies are trending this type of tech will become an absolute surveillance and privacy nightmare. I mean it aleady is really, but it will get so so much worse.

Regulate and legislate these into oblivion. At the very least tech companies need to be punished financially for trying to speed run dystopia but I fear we're already sliding down that slope and it's too late

FineCoatMummy@sh.itjust.works · 45 pts · 173d (2 replies)

Frankly humanity does not need this invention one bit.

Yah. Unfortunately, we've got it though. :( :( :(

People I know, some friends, they are completely oblivious to how much it will surveillance them. Or how much Meta already does, in other ways. "I don't care, I'm not doing anything wrong".

Constant surveillance erodes a society. It erodes democracy.

sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 8 pts · 172d

Half Life 2:

C1: This is how it always starts. First a building, then the whole block.

C2: They have no reason to come to our place.

C1: Don't worry, they'll find one.

MycelialMass@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 171d

Get a webcam and place it prominently in their house, when askes tell them they have nothing to hide so youd like to watch. Bonus points for putting in the bedroom or bathroom.

JasonDJ@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 172d

Genies out of the bottle now man.

Look forward to an arms race and eventually a cold war. This is our generations nuke.

FalschgeldFurkan@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 172d

Would've been great tech if they didn't place fucking cameras into it

Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml · 98 pts · 173d (9 replies)

WHY ARE THEY LOOKING?

chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 55 pts · 172d (4 replies)

being sent to offshore contractors for data labeling, a widely-used preprocessing step in training new AI models in which human contractors are asked to review and annotate footage.

From another article I read about this, seems like it involves a lot of drawing precise boxes around people and objects, stuff like that. Terminators gotta learn their sex moves from somewhere.

moot@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 172d

In a certain nihilistic dreadful sense it's hilarious how these AI advancements are built on the backs of exploitative manual labor. On the surface the AI models are so utterly impressive at how "smart" and advanced the tech appears to be, but the truth of it is just slave labor building a catalog of labeled data sourced from mass surveillance. The aliens should really intervene soon, before we build something that can threaten them...

Alenalda@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 172d (2 replies)

Oof imaging being employed to do captchas all day.

ICastFist@programming.dev · 6 pts · 172d

Beats starvation, tho :/

chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 172d

I actually did data labeling work on amazon mturk for a while, it does kind of suck, the main saving grace was I could largely do it on my own schedule but I assume these people don't really get that benefit.

echolalia@lemmy.ml · 26 pts · 172d

They need someone to review and tag the recorded footage to train AI models.

No moment is private when wearing these glasses. I'm glad they haven't caught on where I live.

mathemachristian@lemmy.ml · 19 pts · 172d (1 reply)

Read the article??

“You understand that it is someone’s private life you are looking at, but at the same time you are just expected to carry out the work,” the employee said. “You are not supposed to question it. If you start asking questions, you are gone.”

Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml · 13 pts · 172d

It was a rhetorical question, and directed at Facebook as a collective.

yogthos@lemmy.ml · 14 pts · 172d

cause it's a mechanical turk

pineapple@lemmy.ml · 80 pts · 172d (7 replies)

Yet another surveilance tool marketed as a cool tech gadget.

ArmchairAce1944@discuss.online · 12 pts · 172d (2 replies)

I remember when cool tech gadgets were cool and not undisguised spy tools.

FatVegan@leminal.space · 22 pts · 172d (1 reply)

It's almost absurd at this point, but i used to be really into gadgets and tech and shit. Now everything i see is like: that's a spy tool. That's showing ads. That is an ad. That is just a lie.

JoeMontayna@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 172d

Same. At most I got 15 years left and I doubt I will ever see this changing in my lifetime.

SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 10 pts · 172d (1 reply)

How is this cool in any way.

Vupware@lemmy.zip · 8 pts · 172d

The future is now, old man!

altphoto@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 172d (1 reply)

They wouldn't! Not a penis camera right? Thry wouldn't!

ulterno@programming.dev · 1 pts · 172d

Oh they would!
And then make it mandatory for everyone with a penis.
For child protection, you know.

Just noticed Child Protection.

blitzen@lemmy.ca · 70 pts · 173d

The absolute tone-deafness of not seeing that meta seeing the things is the disturbing part.

rockandsock@lemmy.world · 43 pts · 172d (3 replies)

So you're telling me that the creepy motherfuckers who would wear something like this around in public do creepy things?

Never would have guessed that. 🤔

ChanchoManco@lemmy.zip · 9 pts · 172d (2 replies)

Also why is Meta watching that footage?

rockandsock@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 172d (1 reply)

I'm pretty sure they monitor everything on all of their platforms, I don't know if they have to for legal reasons or just choose to.

ChanchoManco@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 172d

Yeah, sorry I just read the article and found the answer, they tag the videos to train their AI.

JoeMontayna@lemmy.ml · 43 pts · 172d (3 replies)

It really doesn't matter if facial recognition is enabled or not today, it can always be done later on. This is a huge invasion of privacy.

CrabAndBroom@lemmy.ml · 25 pts · 172d (2 replies)

I don't think even George Orwell could have predicted that one day they'd put the cameras inside glasses, it would be common knowledge that they're in there and the they're spying on you and everyone you look at, and people would still voluntarily buy them with their own money and wear them around.

lessthanluigi@lemmy.sdf.org · 2 pts · 172d

Just wait until they have brainwave scanners on the sides

ki9@lemmy.gf4.pw · 2 pts · 171d

In soviet russia, glasses see you!

ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works · 39 pts · 173d (2 replies)

How long until Meta starts blackmailing people with this shit?

ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca · 29 pts · 173d

Epstein 2.0

ghen@sh.itjust.works · 23 pts · 173d

For real, The real question here is why does anyone at Meta have access to users data like that. This is rhetorical.

HappyFrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 35 pts · 173d (1 reply)
anotherspinelessdem@lemmy.ml · 8 pts · 173d

Underrated comment (the article is also already in English).

anotherspinelessdem@lemmy.ml · 35 pts · 173d

Marky Z is watching you pee and calling it "streaming."

geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml · 31 pts · 172d

Le facebook product is... le spying?

peanuts4life@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 29 pts · 173d (7 replies)

God I wish they'd stop putting cameras in these and just make a nice pair of prescription glasses with good integrated headphones, a heads of display, and some basic touch controls on the stem.

I would genuinely enjoy this for easy listening and maps.

Broken@lemmy.ml · 9 pts · 172d

Right? Make a product that a majority of people could find useful and not have any backlash at all...but then again, they've never been a product company. They've always been a personal information broker.

HerbalGamer@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 172d (2 replies)

my dude

ToastedRavioli@midwest.social · 11 pts · 172d

Okay now take this and make it not look like tacti-cool bullshit that would come with a glock

peanuts4life@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 5 pts · 172d

😂 girl, I'm not a cop!

batterystapled@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 172d

Even integrated headphones would do.

Creepo@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 172d (1 reply)

Zach Freedman has entered the chat

peanuts4life@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 172d

Where did you get this picture of me 😅😅😅

bahcodad@lemmy.ml · 27 pts · 172d (1 reply)

Well that's what you get for spying on people. Duh

ulterno@programming.dev · 2 pts · 172d

Meta learning what the meme-CIA agents had been subjected to for years.

stylusmobilus@aussie.zone · 20 pts · 173d

These glasses and the people who wear them are disturbing.

Willoughby@piefed.world · 19 pts · 173d (11 replies)

One could make a decent bit of $ on "I do not consent" knitted balaclavas on Etsy.

Numinous_Ylem@lemmy.world · 20 pts · 173d (9 replies)

Dont they make glasses that blind cameras with infrared to obscure facial recognition? Im thinking a whole line of accessories (necklaces, earings, hats, etc) that fuck up these glasses ability to record you without consent. Not sure how technically feasible that all is but would love to see something like it to counteract these.

WhiteOakBayou@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 173d (5 replies)

I think the problem with mass adoption of that kind of anti surveillance tech is that most people will not trade the convenience of being able to take pictures of themselves for the privacy of other people not being able to take pictures of them. Even if it's a toggle switch.

Willoughby@piefed.world · 8 pts · 173d (3 replies)

Also wearing them identifies you as "a person wearing anti-spyware" glasses.

It's like not having a Facebook account, your shadow shows everyone you aren't, leaving the only person you could be.

ThunderQueen@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 173d (2 replies)
[ removed ]
Willoughby@piefed.world · 3 pts · 172d (1 reply)

In your defense, they aren't tracking your every move in pseudo-real time and tracking every app they can get their code into inside your phone.

but dude needs to buy a lawnmower and a tv used every now and then, so the bookmark stays. That shit isn't on my phone tho.

ThunderQueen@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 172d
[ removed ]
Numinous_Ylem@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 173d

I think you're unfortunately right on that point. There's probably a higher chance of those types of devices being outlawed than Meta glasses and similar products being outlawed, knowing how our legal systems love to defer to corporations.

Theres also the whole deal with being able to legally film and photograph in a public space, which I support for sure, but this is very much not the same as that when a whole team of people overseas are reviewing everything along with AI analysing it, and with these glasses still operating in not-public spaces. Even the act of having to pull out a phone and physically hold it up to film is a small protection of privacy, because at least others can recognize that that person is filming. The passive always-recording nature of these glasses is truly frightening.

At least they are chunky and kinda stupid looking enough to be recognizable.... for now. It will be scary when there are dozens or hundreds of variations that look no different than any style of regular glasses.

sobchak@programming.dev · 2 pts · 172d

I think at least some are scams. I would think there are ways to design cameras to mostly mitigate this too. I'm guessing ALPRs have the ability to see license plates at night even though headlights are emitting a large amount of light over a broad spectrum (including IR).

IndigoGollum@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 172d (1 reply)

I wonder what would be the power consumption of a device that sits on your head and emits IR light in all directions until you turn it off, instead of just over your eyes. Similar to how microphone blockers work.

What would jewelry and hats do about cameras?

Numinous_Ylem@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 172d

The idea being that anything near the face emitting enough IR could potentially affect the meta glasses and obscure your face. I think IR LEDs draw less power than red LEDs but dont quote me Im not an engineer.

https://hackaday.com/2020/02/28/using-ir-leds-to-hide-in-plain-sight/

doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 2 pts · 172d

If you're in public in the US, consent doesn't matter at all. We need to actively block surveillance, create our own privacy.

original_reader@lemmy.zip · 19 pts · 172d (1 reply)

'I have nothing to hide."

/s

melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 172d

Except for the first part of that quote. /s

knee@lemmy.ml · 18 pts · 172d (7 replies)

Orwell got it wrong with the wall mounted screens - 'they' want us to wear the screens. What was that album title? 'If you accept this,your kids are next., ' Can't remember which band

OrgunDonor@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 172d (2 replies)

If you tolerate this, your children will be next. Is a Manic Street Preachers song.

knee@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 172d

Thanks, almost got it right. A long while since I listened.

AceBonobo@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 172d

They'll be next and they won't know any better

SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 172d (3 replies)

Orwell also got it wrong not predicting people would not want to turn of their telescreens

knee@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 172d (2 replies)

Absolutely. IIRC, the option of turning them off was only available to very high ranking members and even then only for relatively short periods of time.

SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 171d (1 reply)

Now we have Boomers with Fox on 24/7.

MutilationWave@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 170d

Been had that

Aberration13@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 172d

Ahh yes, another reason mark zuckerberg needs to get luigi'd

DataCrime@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 16 pts · 173d

Who could have guessed…

tracyspcy@lemmy.ml · 13 pts · 172d

What a surprise

Kubiac@discuss.tchncs.de · 13 pts · 171d

I don't know what's worse. Meta admitting to spy and nothing happens or the dumb people still buying their crap and using their services.

Adderbox76@lemmy.ca · 11 pts · 172d (3 replies)

Kathryn Bigelow's most under-rated film is almost upon us....just 30 years later than we thought.

Also...if you haven't seen that movie...go watch it. It's low-key one of her best.

CrabAndBroom@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 172d (1 reply)

I know this is off-topic, but Kathryn Bigelow is just an under-rated director in general I think. So many bangers. Also from a quick search I just found out she had a new movie out last year that stars Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson and Jared Harris? Somehow I missed that entirely.

HulkSmashBurgers@reddthat.com · 1 pts · 171d

Oh! In addition too Strange Days she directed the OG Point Break and The Hurt Locker! All great movies!

HulkSmashBurgers@reddthat.com · 1 pts · 171d

Great 90s cyberpunk movie. Way better than Johnny Mnemonic and Judge Dread.

Also starred the smokin' hot Angela Basset as a bonus.

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 10 pts · 172d (2 replies)

But this is not the problem but a symptom. Of you having no right to privacy (and if, it can be overwritten by some ToS).

doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 4 pts · 172d (1 reply)

Well you definitely don't have any right to privacy in public in the US.

ArmchairAce1944@discuss.online · 1 pts · 172d

You have a reduced right to privacy in public but not eliminated all together.

fox2263@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 172d

We get to return to the verbiage “glasshole” right

Sunsofold@lemmings.world · 9 pts · 173d

Now I'm chuckling at the thought that the view from these glasses is likely to be used for training AI, so you could have a bit of fun just aiming them at the most horrifying but legal porn you can find and plonk them down aimed at the screen while you go do other stuff.

Lor@mander.xyz · 8 pts · 171d

Wow, what an admission. Peeping META?

mrnobody@reddthat.com · 7 pts · 172d (5 replies)

Oh man! A friend just sent me this earlier today, I completely forgot to sign, but seeing this reminded me! Sharing the love.

https://c.org/BVqdM4SGS2

doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 3 pts · 172d (2 replies)

That petition is cute, but even if such a law was passed, it would be struck down.

BrilliantantTurd4361@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 172d

So? Even generating awareness about this nonsense is a +1 to society.

Cute comment tho.

mrnobody@reddthat.com · 1 pts · 172d

There are other similar ones that have more awareness, but one was focused around New Orleans as there was an incident. I didn't hear about it. Another is taking about banning at beaches which also make sense so voyeurism isn't so creepy and make people feel awkward

LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 172d (1 reply)

FOUR signatures?! Wow, I have never seen so few signatures on a causeworthy well-written petition before 🫨

mrnobody@reddthat.com · 2 pts · 172d

Well, yeah, neither of us are on social media. I need to text a few circles of friends but 5 signatures means it'll get more promotion out there.

Gammelfisch@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 172d

Definitely not a Sony Walkman, which was cool and the foam headphones were comfortable to wear. I miss the simple analog days.

SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 172d

Tesla was like 'we could use lidar, but instead we'll use CAMERAS'

Psyhackological@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 168d

Why and who's buying those?