Paris prosecutors probe smart glasses harassment claims

Paris prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into alleged sexual harassment involving smart glasses. The probe follows reports of a social media trend where individuals use camera-equipped wearable devices to film women in public without their consent and subsequently upload the footage to platforms like TikTok.

French data protection authority CNIL has also received complaints regarding the use of smart glasses in workplace settings. The child and internet-safety organization e-Enfance reported receiving approximately 20 complaints since the start of 2026 involving women being filmed without knowledge, with many reports specifically mentioning Meta’s smart glasses.

Meta, which holds roughly 76% of the global smart glasses market through its partnership with EssilorLuxottica, stated that its AI-enabled glasses are “designed with privacy in mind from the ground up” and that the company will continue to enhance protections. Meanwhile, regulatory scrutiny is growing internationally, with some UK cinemas banning the devices and German consumer groups filing criminal complaints regarding privacy laws.