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Wed, 13 May 2026

Wed, 13 May 2026 Smart glasses are 'an invasion of privacy' - Meta's are selling better than ever

The biggest tech firms are set to sell millions of smart glasses despite growing privacy concerns.
Meta's "smart" glasses, which feature an almost invisible camera and small speakers, have become extremely popular with over 7 million pairs sold worldwide. However, users are often unaware that they are being recorded by the device without their consent. Women have been approached by men wearing Meta's Ray-Bans while going about their daily lives, who then post videos of them online without permission. The lack of awareness about the recording feature is partly due to the fact that the camera is so unobtrusive that even wearers themselves are often caught off guard. In some cases, workers in Kenya were tasked with watching videos made through Meta's glasses to create AI training data for the company, and they claimed to have been required to watch graphic content. Two lawsuits have been filed against Meta, with one group of people claiming they had no idea their videos were being recorded and shared by the company. Another lawsuit alleges that users did not know their videos were being shared for review. Other major tech companies such as Apple, Snap, and Google are also planning to release their own versions of smart glasses, which will likely feature a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) technology. While some people have reported using the devices responsibly, many others have been caught recording unsuspecting people in public places. Some wearers use the device to record pranks on others, while others use it to film women without their consent. Experts warn that the widespread adoption of smart glasses could lead to a significant increase in cases of people being recorded without their knowledge or consent. Meta has responded by saying that users are responsible for using the technology responsibly and that they have teams dedicated to limiting and combating misuse. However, as more companies release their own versions of smart glasses, concerns about privacy and consent will likely continue to grow.