Instagram CEO Responds to Harassment Issues Linked to Smart Glasses

Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, has faced a surge of troubling “harassment” videos being shared on the platform, which were captured using Meta’s controversial smart glasses. In light of this, he has decided to ban such content.

In a recent Q&A on his Instagram Story, Mosseri stated, “If you’re posting content that takes advantage of people or harasses them, we’re going to take down many of the videos we’ve seen.” He further emphasized that filming people without their consent and harassing them is unacceptable on their platform. “So, we’re working to counter this in every way we can,” he added.

Last fall, Meta, the parent company of Instagram, launched smart glasses that can record videos, attracting attention from celebrities, including Kylie Jenner, who have contributed to the excitement around them. However, many online users are labeling them as “dystopian.”

Some users began tampering with the glasses to obscure the indicator light that reveals recording activity, leading to the nickname “pervert glasses.” The latest Ray-Ban Meta glasses, now in their second generation and priced from $379, have been misused to record interactions, like pick-up attempts and pranks on unsuspecting service workers. There have even been instances where elderly individuals were subjected to unpleasant pranks.

These pick-up videos generally follow a script—offers of compliments and pick-up lines followed by sharing personal details, often posted on TikTok and Instagram without the individuals involved realizing they were filmed.

As Mosseri notes, many of these pranks hover dangerously close to harassment. For instance, incidents have included causing disruptions in stores by using odor sprays or pretending to struggle with language skills to provoke employees.

In a troubling case, one of these glasses was reportedly used to catch a man attacking a woman in a shopping center in London, and the video garnered significant views before the victim sought its removal—only to be told it would be available for a price.

To address these issues, Instagram has suspended two accounts that each boasted over a million followers, which were engaged in this kind of content creation.

Over 70 civil liberties and rights organizations have condemned the use of these glasses, expressing concern that as new features roll out, they could become potentially dangerous.

Meta has announced plans to enhance the glasses with AI capabilities, including language translation and facial recognition. Recently, they filed a patent for a device that could monitor users’ emotional states, tracking cues like sighs or laughter and moments like when they take medication.

Critics have described this AI initiative as part of a broader strategy by Meta to surveil personal lives for advertising purposes. Josh Golin, the executive director of Fairplay, raised concerns, stating, “This creepy patent seems aligned with Meta’s goal to track every detail of our lives to profit from users’ emotional vulnerabilities.”

Interestingly, some individuals are beginning to push back against content creators. In one instance from last year, a man filming a woman on a street in San Diego was confronted by a passerby. “This is what I’ve been waiting for,” the local man said. “You guys are stalking the girls here, that’s you, right?”