Meta Updates Smart Glasses
Meta's smart glasses update disables camera if recording light is tampered with, amid growing privacy concerns and bans in US courts
Key points
- Meta's smart glasses have a reputation for being used as surveillance devices, sparking consumer privacy concerns
- A new update disables the camera if the LED recording light is tampered with or covered
- New York has banned recording eyewear from its courts, citing civil rights law, with other US states and entities following suit
- Critics argue the glasses' easy-to-miss LED indicator is a key problem, with some calling for more explicit indicators or cameraless designs
- Meta is targeting third-party sellers who advertise devices with disabled LEDs, including banning accounts on its platforms
- The update is available immediately on second-generation devices and will roll out across the line of wearables
Meta has announced an update to its smart glasses, disabling the camera if the recording light is tampered with or covered. This move comes amid growing concerns over consumer privacy and the potential for the glasses to be used as surveillance devices. The update is seen as a concession to these concerns, but critics argue that more needs to be done to protect users' privacy.
The issue has also caught the attention of authorities, with New York banning recording eyewear from its courts. Other US states and entities are following suit, citing civil rights law.
Meta's smart glasses have sparked debate over the ethics of filming others in public without their consent. While the glasses have revolutionized content creation, they have also led to a sub-genre of content featuring harassment of people, mainly women, in public spaces.
Sources
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