As if Meta’s AI-smart glasses didn’t have enough privacy issues, a growing number of owners report the devices are spying on them without their consent.
According to reporting by Android Authority, several owners of the Meta glasses have reported their devices capturing conversations without ever being activated. In theory, a user has to say “Hey Meta” to “wake” the device from sleep mode, similar to other smart systems like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri. But some owners say the Meta glasses are waking up and recording without that phrase ever being uttered — effectively monitoring their surroundings without express permission.
“I have observed the same behavior on THREE different pairs of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, including 2nd- and 3rd-generation models,” one user explained in a thread on Reddit.
“I believe this deserves a serious technical investigation,” the poster continued. “Customers should not have to wonder whether their private conversations are being captured when they have not intentionally activated their glasses’ AI assistant.”
Invasive as it is, the irony is hard to miss. Meta glasses have emerged as a preferred tool of sex creeps, bullies, and skeevy influencers the world over for their ability to record video discreetly — a feature which quickly earned them the nickname “pervert glasses.”
“Woah a company that makes money by invading your privacy is invading your privacy!” one Redditor joked in a separate thread about the issue. “Can’t trust anyone these days.”
In a vague response to the report, a Meta spokesperson told Android Authority that the issue “has been resolved.”
“People can manage, review and delete voice logs of their interactions with Meta AI via settings at any time,” the statement concluded.
Whether that boilerplate statement is enough to assuage Meta glasses users remains to be seen. If nothing else, maybe users will gain a new appreciation for what it feels like to be recorded without consent.
More on smart glasses: NYC’s Buzziest Nightclub Announces Stance On Smart Glasses: Even Try To Bring Them In, You’re Banned Forever
The post Meta Glasses Said to Be Recording Even When They’re in Sleep Mode appeared first on Futurism.
