Meta has rolled out a new safeguard for its Ray-Ban smart glasses to make covert recording much harder. The update disables the camera if the glasses detect that their privacy indicator light has been tampered with.
The change comes after reports of modders removing or drilling through the LED that lights up whenever the camera is recording. This makes it possible to film people without the usual visual warning. According to Meta, any device that detects this kind of tampering will now automatically lose access to its camera.
The company is also cracking down on services that promote the modification. Meta says it’s removing related adverts and Marketplace listings across Facebook and Instagram. Additionally, it will suspend accounts found advertising or selling these services. It also says it’s pursuing legal action against businesses offering to disable the recording light.
The update addresses one of the biggest criticisms levelled at smart glasses since they became mainstream. Meta has repeatedly described the category as one of the fastest-growing in consumer tech. However, that growth has also fuelled concerns about privacy, particularly as its glasses are designed to look almost identical to standard eyewear.
Those concerns have been amplified by reports of women being secretly filmed in public, during private encounters or while socialising. For example, one recent case involved fashion stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson. She said she was covertly recorded while intoxicated during a conversation that was later shared online.
The issue has also drawn attention to Meta’s recent push to broaden the appeal of its smart glasses. The company recently partnered with Kylie Jenner on its Starfire model. This move was clearly intended to position the glasses as a fashion accessory rather than just another gadget.
Even with the new anti-tampering feature, the debate around smart glasses is unlikely to disappear. Unlike bulkier rivals such as Snap’s recently announced Specs, Meta’s partnerships with Ray-Ban and Oakley mean its devices blend in with ordinary glasses, making them difficult to spot in everyday situations.
The latest update won’t eliminate privacy concerns overnight. However, it does show Meta responding to one of the most obvious ways people have been bypassing the glasses’ built-in recording safeguards.
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