A new application named Zuckoff aims to alert users if they are in proximity to someone wearing Meta’s controversial AI-powered glasses, which have faced backlash for their potential to allow individuals to record videos of others without their consent.
The app was created by programmer Pawel Szydlowski, who was inspired by stories of inappropriate behavior—like men using these glasses to film women or harass strangers. The name, if it’s not obvious, has a clever pun; just say it slowly.
Since its launch last month on Apple’s App Store, Zuckoff has attracted around 5,000 users, as reported by Business Insider. The app works by detecting Bluetooth signals from the smart glasses and estimating how far away they are.
“There is definitely a need for an application like this,” Szydlowski, a 30-year-old from Poland, told the publication, noting that the European Union regulators have reached out to him for more information about his creation.
“We as a society should at least be aware if someone is recording us,” he emphasized.
The app’s main screen shows users the estimated distance to nearby smart glasses, and an upgraded version, Zuckoff Pro, notifies users of nearby recording glasses even when the app isn’t actively running, according to Business Insider.
Meta is currently addressing a wave of criticism regarding the glasses, often referred to derogatorily as “perv glasses.”
Privacy advocates have been particularly vocal against the product, with some venues, such as the high-end New York club Basement, instituting outright bans on them, declaring anyone caught with the glasses would be permanently barred.
In recent weeks, Meta has been on a public relations campaign clarifying that the glasses were not designed for secret recordings. “We designed this camera to be obvious to those around you,” insisted Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, in a recent Instagram video.
Earlier this month, the company disabled thousands of glasses that had been modified to disable the small light indicating when recording was in progress. Additionally, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri mentioned that accounts posting videos made with the glasses featuring harassment were being removed from the platform.
Despite these efforts, Instagram still features numerous videos showing people wearing AI glasses, pretending to steal money from unsuspecting victims and capturing their wild reactions.
Szydlowski explained that he developed the app by testing various smart glasses to analyze the Bluetooth signals they emit, which helped him identify their Bluetooth “fingerprints” and unique identifiers. He noted that some Bluetooth services are recognized under “Meta” or “Ray Bans.”
“If the unique identifier matches, along with the manufacturer identifier, that gives us a solid confirmation,” he mentioned.
He expressed frustration over how the subjects of these recordings often have their faces unblurred and can sometimes be targeted by doxxing in the comments. “I have experienced a lot of emotions watching this type of content,” he reflected.
Last fall, Meta introduced smart glasses capable of video recording, with endorsements from various celebrities like Kylie Jenner, which quickly led to significant backlash as many perceived the devices as “dystopian.”
The Post has reached out to Meta for comments regarding the situation.
