It was certainly part of the small lines of the contract. But when people signed up to try out the robot vacuums, they didn’t expect to see photos of their homes on social media. Yet here’s what a survey from MIT Technology Review reveals.
Share in private groups
As part of a test, development versions of iRobot’s Roomba J7 robotic vacuum cleaners collected a large amount of data between 2019 and 2022, including photos taken from the device’s front-facing camera. The goal is then to improve the artificial intelligence of the robots by sending all this information to Scale AI. This company specializes in the inventory of audio, photo and video files for training artificial intelligence.
The only problem, the classification of the data is carried out by humans. Freelancers located in Venezuela therefore treated these images well, but also shared them on private Facebook groups, Discord, and other networks. In the leaked photos we find interiors, kitchens, living rooms, but sometimes there are humans in the field. Among the most problematic photos: that of an underage boy, barely eight or nine years old, or that of a woman sitting on this toilet, with her shorts down to mid-thigh.
very invasive monitoring
“One wonders if the company is tricking people into signing them up for this kind of very invasive surveillance without fully understanding what they’re agreeing to,” said Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, a security advocacy group. Privacy, a MIT Technology Review.
iRobot did not appear to be aware of the leaked photos taken by its devices. The company claimed that the images were “shared in violation of a written confidentiality agreement.” Since then, the collaboration with ScaledAI has been halted by the manufacturer of robot vacuums.
“iRobot has terminated its relationship with the service provider that leaked the images, is actively investigating this matter, and is taking steps to help prevent a similar leak by any service provider in the future,” the company chief said. , Colin Angle.
Source: BFM TV
