Meta's smart glasses are capable of capturing images, audio, and video of people and objects the wearer views. While the devices include an indicator light intended to warn bystanders of recording, some users have found ways to bypass this safety feature and disable the lights. In response, Meta has implemented anti-tamper features that disable the glasses if they have been meddled with.
The technology has faced significant privacy investigations. A BBC investigation in January found women were being secretly filmed with Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, with the resulting videos posted to TikTok without consent. Furthermore, a joint investigation by Swedish newspapers in February revealed that contractors in Nairobi hired to train Meta's AI reviewed footage captured by the glasses, which included individuals using bathrooms, changing clothes, and engaging in sexual activity.
Meta faced a class-action lawsuit in March regarding claims that it did not disclose that human contractors could review content shared with Meta AI.
Facial recognition and regulatory response
Earlier this year, Meta programmed a feature that would add facial recognition technology to the glasses if enabled. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth confirmed the existence of a facial recognition feature called Name Tag during an appearance on The Atlantic's podcast, The Most Interesting Thing in AI. Following a report by WIRED, Meta deleted the code for this facial recognition feature from its app.
In March, US Democratic senators Edward Markey, Jeff Merkley, and Ron Wyden questioned Meta about reported facial recognition plans, warning that such technology could enable stalking, harassment, and real-time identification.
In response to developing technologies that can collect data, Consumer Reports fellows Stacey Higginbotham and Justin Brookman are advocating for legislation in the California senate. The proposed legislation would require companies to include visible indicators on devices that record audio and video and would prohibit the disabling of those indicators. Justin Brookman stated that policy must intervene as technology develops the capacity to collect information about people constantly.
Industry shifts and hardware alternatives
To address privacy, Meta stated in June it is considering adding camera-free smart glasses to its lineup. Other companies are pursuing different hardware paths: Realities produces smart glasses without cameras to differentiate from Meta, and Solos frames include a privacy shield that users can place over the camera lenses.
The smart glasses market continues to expand, with Google and Samsung expected to enter the sector later this year. Apple is reportedly working on smart glasses for a potential 2027 arrival, though production has reportedly been delayed to address privacy issues.
Number of Meta smart glasses units sold.
Industry perspectives on the privacy debate vary. Jitesh Ubrani, director of research on consumer devices at International Data Corporation, said, “I don't think it's really possible to create such a pair of smart glasses.” Conversely, Matt Margolis, vice president of business development at Vuzix, noted that “the fact that it's even a discussion point is really great for the industry.”
Security and accessibility also play roles in the device's evolution. Thorin Klosowski, a senior security and privacy activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, noted that designing devices to be innocuous is a significant distinction. Meanwhile, Meta has partnered with Be My Eyes to allow visually impaired individuals to use the glasses' camera for accessibility.
DuckDuckGo stated on X that smart glasses from both Meta and Google open the door to frightening privacy problems.
