The Meta AI Glasses Lawsuit Expands to Bystanders
Welcome to Represent More, a production of We Are Them Media. In Episode 15, Ryan and Shireen Clarkson discuss major updates in Clarkson’s Meta AI glasses lawsuit, the $250 million Apple false advertising settlement, and growing concerns about whether the companies developing artificial intelligence can effectively regulate themselves.
Ryan, who was recently appointed co-lead counsel in the Meta AI glasses litigation, explains that roughly eight federal class actions have now been consolidated into one amended complaint. The case originally focused on purchasers and users of the glasses but now includes a third group: bystanders who allegedly had their images, voices, or private moments recorded and sent to Meta without their consent.
The amended complaint includes 72 plaintiffs, including 15 bystanders, 14 of whom are minors. Ryan and Shireen discuss why bystanders may be particularly vulnerable because they never purchased the glasses, agreed to Meta’s terms, or allegedly consented to how their information would be collected and used.
The episode also includes an update on Clarkson’s $250 million Apple false advertising settlement. The claims period opens September 21 for eligible purchasers of iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, with qualifying class members able to submit claims during the 90-day window.
From there, Ryan and Shireen turn to artificial intelligence after an Anthropic researcher resigned and publicly raised concerns about the risks posed by frontier AI development. They discuss reactions from leaders across the AI industry and why voluntary self-regulation may fail when safety, competition, and financial incentives collide.
The conversation ultimately centers on a collective-action problem: if one company slows down while its competitors continue racing ahead, it risks falling behind. Ryan and Shireen explore why meaningful safeguards may therefore require rules that apply across the industry rather than relying on individual companies to restrain themselves.
Topics Covered This Episode
- Ryan on the expanded Meta AI glasses lawsuit and new bystander claims
- Ryan and Shireen on privacy, consent, and recordings involving minors
- How to file a claim in Clarkson’s $250 million Apple settlement
- The Anthropic whistleblower and warnings about frontier AI
- Ryan and Shireen on why voluntary Big Tech self-regulation may fall short
- Anthropic’s legal battle with the Pentagon over AI safety restrictions
As new technologies become more powerful and more deeply embedded in everyday life, the episode asks who should set the limits: the companies building them, or laws designed to protect the public.
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