Meta blocks hidden filming on AI glasses amid safety scrutiny; Users found a loophole

Meta is updating its AI smart glasses to close a recording loophole that allowed some users to film people without their consent, as the company faces rising scrutiny over privacy and safety risks linked to the product.

The company said the change will make the capture LED on the glasses more dependable and will prevent the camera from working if the light is covered during recording. Meta AR Vice President Alex Himel announced the update on Threads.

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Update targets recording control

Meta’s AI smart glasses introduced a new white capture light feature that blinks when the wearer starts taking photo or recording a video, signalling to people that recording is on. The camera is meant to shut off if the light is blocked. However, some users were able to bypass this safety feature by starting a recording before covering the sensor.

Announcing the update, Himel said Meta would continue to roll out changes to ensure the capture LED can reliably alert people when photos or videos are being recorded. He added that only a small number of users had tried to bypass the safeguard.

The glasses have drawn increasing criticism as more people have reported being recorded without consent and seeing the content posted on social media. Concerns have also been raised about potential misuse, including stalking children, recording medical appointments, entering high-security environments, and capturing confidential banking information.

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While Instagram head Adam Mosseri has cautioned users against posting such material, enforcement has largely depended on individual users or local rules where applicable. Meta has asked users to “be a good community member”, saying: “If you wouldn’t film it with your phone – you shouldn’t film it with your glasses.”

Despite those guidelines, non-consensual recordings made with Meta’s AI glasses remain easy to find on platforms such as Instagram. These include pranks involving retail workers and families, along with incidents of sexual harassment presented as flirting. The latest software change addresses one gap in Meta’s recording safeguards, but the product continues to face questions over privacy and user safety.