Meta has cancelled its contract with Sama, a Kenyan technology contractor firm, whose workers the Mark Zuckerberg-led company was using to train its AI models. Approximately 1,108 workers have been made redundant due to the move, which comes less than two months after it was exposed that these workers were reviewing and annotating clips captured by users wearing the Meta Ray-Bans. The Kenyan workers alleged they had reviewed clips that included people going to the toilet, taking off their clothes or having sex, according to two Swedish newspapers, Goteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet.
Meta said Sama did not meet its standards, prompting the decision to cut ties. Sama, however, rejected the allegations, stating that the company met all quality and integrity standards.
"Sama has consistently met the operational, security and quality standards required across our client engagements, including with Meta," Sama said in a statement, as per BBC.
"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."
What Did Workers Reveal?
In February, some anonymous workers at Sama, who were tasked with reviewing videos filmed by Meta glasses, revealed the full extent of the troubling content they were subjected to.
"We see everything, from living rooms to naked bodies. There are also sex scenes filmed with the smart glasses, someone is wearing them having sex," one of the workers was quoted as saying.
“In some videos you can see someone going to the toilet, or getting undressed. I don't think they know, because if they knew they wouldn't be recording.”
An employee added that they felt forced to watch and annotate or else risk losing their job. “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. You are not supposed to question it. If you start asking questions, you are gone.”
The Meta glasses allow wearers to speak to an AI chatbot by saying the phrase, "Hey Meta". The AI can be used to activate the camera, which allows users to conduct first-person video calls or take pictures and videos.
