Meta updates smart glasses to block camera when privacy LED is tampered

Meta is rolling out a mandatory firmware update for its AI‑enabled smart glasses—including Ray‑Ban Meta, Oakley Meta and the company’s own $300 line—that automatically disables the camera if the white capture LED is blocked, damaged or physically removed. The update closes a privacy loophole that modders have exploited to create covert recording devices, and Meta also announced it will remove ads and Marketplace listings promoting LED‑tampering services and may pursue legal action against providers.

At the same time, the Financial Times reports that Meta is testing a “super‑sensing” prototype that could record photos every few seconds and capture continuous audio, potentially without activating the LED indicator. This raises additional privacy concerns, as the always‑on design would make it harder for by‑standers to know they are being recorded. Regulators in the United States and Europe have already expressed scrutiny, with New York banning the glasses in courtrooms and European data‑protection authorities monitoring the technology. Meta says the new firmware is a step toward “privacy by design,” but the broader vision of always‑on AI glasses remains under debate.