Meta launches camera-free smart glasses amid privacy backlash

Meta has introduced a new version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses, the Ray-Ban Meta Audio, which removes the integrated camera to address growing privacy concerns. The device features open-ear speakers and a lighter frame, focusing on audio functions like music playback, calls, and AI-driven language translation without the ability to record video.

The move follows significant backlash against the camera-equipped models, which have been nicknamed ‘pervert glasses’ online due to reports of non-consensual filming and voyeurism. These privacy issues have led to practical restrictions, including bans in British pubs, theaters, and schools, as well as potential regulatory scrutiny in countries like Norway.

In a notable commercial consequence, the Dutch eyewear chain Hans Anders has suspended the sale of Ray-Ban Meta glasses across its 400 stores in the Netherlands and Belgium. The retailer cited unresolved questions regarding how the technology can be used and the lack of clarity on what can be recorded. Meanwhile, studies have highlighted risks, such as an Australian report finding that women were frequently exposed to online abuse in videos captured discreetly with smart glasses.