The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) has launched an investigation into Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses following rising alarms over mass surveillance and the unauthorized use of Kenyans’ personal data for artificial intelligence training. In a notable move, the regulator initiated the legal process on a suo motu basis, taking action independently rather than waiting for a formal complaint from the public.
This decision follows a direct appeal on March 6, 2026, by the Nairobi-based digital rights group, The Oversight Lab. The organization urged the regulator to examine the privacy threats these devices pose to ordinary citizens.
Confirming the move, the ODPC stated, “In a formal response to The Oversight Lab’s request to investigate privacy issues raised by the Ray-Ban Meta, the ODPC has confirmed that investigations have begun.”
The hardware under scrutiny combines the classic styling of Ray-Ban with technology from Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. These glasses feature a discreet camera capable of recording individuals without their consent or knowledge. Over 150 organizations and individuals throughout Kenya have endorsed the probe, calling on the ODPC to maintain transparency and ensure full public participation throughout the investigation.
The Executive Director at The Oversight Lab, Mercy Mutemi, welcomed the move while setting clear expectations for the next steps. She called for a transparent and open investigation, noting that the results could fundamentally shape the nation’s digital landscape for the better.
“It is notable that the ODPC is taking this issue seriously and has decided to investigate it. We ask that the investigation be done openly, consultatively and in full transparency, noting that Kenyans are now more than ever keen on being involved in regulatory processes dictating their digital future,” Mutemi said. In its official response, the ODPC stated it would communicate the outcome and any further developments once it concludes the probe.
Public concern over the devices intensified recently following a viral story involving a TikTok creator – 36-year-old Russian national Vladislav Luilkov – popularly referred to as “Russian Guy.” The reports allege that he lured women to his apartment and used the smart glasses to record them without their consent, highlighting the practical dangers of the technology.
Just recently, Swedish papers Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten conducted a bombshell joint investigation that exposed Meta’s latest privacy nightmare.
The papers reported that deeply intimate, private footage captured by Meta’s AI smart glasses is being funneled right here to Nairobi. The tech giant is employing local data annotators to review, label, and categorize the footage for the purpose of training its AI systems, and the workers are encountering far more than they anticipated.
Tell Me More – Bombshell: Nairobi AI Trainers Are Secretly Watching Meta Smart Glasses Users’ in Compromising Situations
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