Meta is implementing updates to its smart glasses equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) features to block discreet recording by third parties, requiring the user to cover the device's capture light.
The company identified and is correcting a vulnerability that allowed bypassing one of the glasses' primary privacy protections. With this new version, the camera will automatically deactivate if the user obstructs the front light while a recording is active.
Alex Himel, Meta's Vice President of Augmented Reality, communicated this change through a post on the Threads platform, stating: 'Now, the camera will stop working if the light is covered during a recording.'
Previously, Meta's smart glasses already had the functionality to turn off the camera when the front LED was physically blocked. This LED flashes whenever the device is being used to take photos or record videos, serving as a visual alert to nearby people.
The detected problem was that certain users had discovered a method to circumvent this security: they only needed to start the recording and, only afterward, cover the LED, thus allowing the recording to continue without the light being visible.
Meta had previously released an update just over a month ago to disable the camera when there was physical interference with the capture light mechanism.
Privacy and Harassment Issues
Meta's smart glasses have been subject to questions regarding harassment and privacy issues. Cases have been reported where users used the devices to film other people without proper consent, as well as situations where the glasses were used to capture 'pranks' intended for social media involving individuals who were unaware they were being filmed.
Concerns grew even more after reports emerged that Meta planned to incorporate facial recognition into the glasses. This series of events contributed to a global mobilization against the devices, marked by criticism regarding surveillance potential and the possibility of unauthorized recordings.
Currently, Meta is also seeking to act in the sphere of awareness, promoting greater understanding of how the capture LED functions. According to Albert Aydin, a Meta spokesperson, the company has launched an advertising campaign in communities where glass sales have been significant.
One display panel in Los Angeles, USA, shows the company's smart glasses alongside the message: 'The camera lets you capture the moment. The light lets everyone around you know when you are doing it.' Meta has also released a video detailing the LED function, reinforcing that the capture light signals when the glasses are recording photos or videos. The campaign also emphasizes the simple rule: 'no light, no capture.'