Meta’s Smart Glasses Spark Global Privacy Concerns

Meta’s latest smart-glasses can record images, audio and video of whatever the wearer looks at. The devices include an indicator light intended to alert bystanders when recording is active, but the Wired report notes that some users have discovered ways to disable the light. Meta has responded with anti-tamper software that disables the glasses if the hardware is altered. Earlier this year the company added a face-recognition feature, internally called “Name Tag,” which would have linked captured faces to a database. After the feature was exposed in a Wired investigation, Meta removed the code from its app. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth confirmed the existence of Name Tag during an appearance on The Atlantic’s podcast *The Most Interesting Thing in AI*. At a recent event, Meta also indicated it is exploring camera-free smart-glasses as an alternative.

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A reporter for the Japanese magazine *Spa* tested low-priced (14,000 yen) smart glasses in public settings—coffee shops, train stations and streets—and described the recordings as “crystal clear.” The article cites a recent arrest in Spain of a man who uploaded hundreds of videos of himself propositioning women on the street, using smart-glasses to capture the footage. Similar incidents are reported from Canada (ID and password theft), China (gambling and exam cheating) and England (blackmail and a court witness allegedly receiving covert prompts through his glasses). The reporter warns that anyone could record and distribute images or audio without consent, raising concerns about privacy and decency.

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Meta emphasizes that the indicator light is a built-in privacy safeguard and that the anti-tamper system is designed to prevent unauthorized modifications. Following public criticism, the company deleted the face-recognition code and has signaled interest in models that omit cameras altogether.

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*Spa*’s reporter urges the public to treat smart glasses as “potential surveillance devices” and calls for heightened vigilance. Information-technology researcher Ichiro Sato argues that society must decide how much surveillance it is willing to accept, suggesting that clear guidelines—and, if necessary, legislation—should be established before the technology’s impact outpaces existing privacy protections.

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