Meta adds privacy lock to Ray‑Ban AI glasses, disabling camera if LED is covered or damaged

Meta has rolled out version 26 of the software for its Ray‑Ban Meta AI glasses, introducing an automatic camera shutdown when the device detects that the white capture LED – the visual indicator that filming is in progress – has been covered, damaged, or removed. The update also targets third‑party services that offer LED‑tampering instructions, with Meta stating it will remove related marketplace listings and may suspend or pursue legal action against accounts promoting such modifications.

At the same time, reports indicate Meta is testing an internal “super‑sensing” prototype that continuously records audio and takes periodic photos, potentially operating without activating the LED warning. This prototype, if released, could raise new privacy concerns despite the company’s claim that privacy is built into its glasses from the ground up. Meta has previously faced criticism and legal scrutiny over covert recordings and how user‑generated content is reviewed by contractors.

The combined rollout of the privacy safeguard and the testing of a more capable, less‑visible recording prototype places Meta’s wearable strategy under heightened public and regulatory attention.