Meta smartglasses spark privacy debate

The Guardian reported on Thursday that Meta’s smartglasses have become a flashpoint in a widening argument over convenience, consent and surveillance as the company expands its AI eyewear business. Users interviewed by the newspaper described the glasses as a practical camera and assistant, while critics said the same features make covert recording easier in public spaces. Meta has said the devices were built with privacy protections, including a front-facing capture light and settings that let users manage what data they share. Meta said on July 7 that “millions of people” now use its AI glasses every day and called the category one of its fastest-growing consumer products. On Meta’s product pages, the company says its current lineup includes Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta models, with AI features, a built-in camera and voice controls. Meta’s store lists AI glasses starting at $224 in the United States. ### Why are these glasses drawing a stronger reaction than a phone camera? (europesays.com) The Guardian’s August 6 report said wearers have defended the glasses by saying they are not spying, but privacy advocates and commentators argue the form factor is the issue. A phone camera is visible in a user’s hand; glasses can look like ordinary eyewear while recording from the wearer’s point of view. Meta says the devices include a white capture LED that blinks when photos or videos are being recorded for the user’s gallery. (about.fb.com) The company says the light has no off switch and that covering or disabling the capture LED automatically disables the camera. Meta also tells users to stop recording if someone asks not to be filmed and to power off the glasses in places such as doctors’ offices, locker rooms, public bathrooms, schools and places of worship. (europesays.com) ### What exactly can the glasses do? Meta says Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses can take hands-free photos and videos through a built-in 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, record up to 3K video on some models, make calls, send messages and use Meta AI through voice commands. The company also says users can upload content to social apps and ask the assistant to analyze what the wearer is seeing. Meta’s privacy page says some camera-based AI features involve steps to protect bystanders, including removing key identifiable information. (about.fb.com) The company also says users can manage privacy settings in the Meta AI mobile app and can power the glasses off with a physical switch. ### What are critics and regulators worried about? A March 5 TechCrunch report said Meta was sued in a proposed U.S. class action after Swedish reporting found workers at a Kenya-based subcontractor reviewed footage from customers’ glasses, including highly sensitive material. (meta.com) The complaint cited Meta marketing language such as “designed for privacy, controlled by you” and alleged consumers were not clearly told that human reviewers could examine some shared content. (meta.com) The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office said on June 11 that it had finalized guidance for consumer internet-of-things products, setting out expectations for manufacturers and developers on responsible use of personal information. The ICO guidance was not limited to Meta, but it shows regulators are putting more attention on connected devices that collect personal data. (techcrunch.com) ### How has the backlash shown up in public? A BBC investigation cited by other outlets found in January that women were secretly filmed with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses and the videos were posted online without consent. EL PAÍS reported on July 30 that critics, including singer Lorde, have publicly attacked the devices, while feminist scholar Stephanie Wescott told CNN that smart glasses can become a tool for controlling women’s images in public spaces. (ico.org.uk) TechRepublic reported last week that Meta had begun removing Instagram videos made with Ray-Ban smart glasses that harassed strangers. That step followed broader criticism over videos in which people were recorded in public and turned into social-media content without their knowledge. ### What has Meta said in response? Meta says only the wearer can see photos and videos stored on the glasses unless the wearer chooses to import or share them. (decrypt.co) The company says content captured for the gallery stays on the glasses until the user imports it to a phone, and then it is saved like other media in the phone’s gallery. Meta’s published guidance tells owners to obey the law, avoid harassment, and not capture sensitive information such as PIN codes. (techrepublic.com) As of August 6, the company’s privacy and help pages remain the main public source for how Meta says the devices should be used and what safeguards are in place. (meta.com) (about.fb.com)