Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses are raising privacy alarms among singles, especially after reports of men recording their dates without consent, and sometimes even sharing the footage online.
Case in point, Courtney McAnuff, a 28-year-old project manager living in Toronto, recounted an experience from a summer date in Manhattan in 2024. The man she met had on the camera-equipped Ray-Bans, and while he showed them to her and let her try them, she wasn’t aware he was actually recording.
It was only the next day that she came across an Instagram Story he posted, showcasing clips of her at a Midtown bar and during their subway ride to a basketball game.
“I felt super violated,” she expressed. “What if I don’t want everyone knowing what I’m up to? He felt so free to film and post it. There was no conversation about it.”
This incident highlights a growing concern for Meta as their smart glasses are becoming more commonplace. Reports indicate over 7 million pairs were sold last year, with use cases ranging from pranks to workplace interactions and flirting.
These glasses allow users to record video from their perspective without the hesitation that comes with holding a phone, which can often signal that filming is happening. While the glasses do have a front-facing recording light intended to indicate when they are active, it has been reported that this indicator can be bypassed through hardware modifications.
Meta claims that if the recording light is obstructed, the camera won’t function. Additionally, the company says it takes action against accounts or content that violate its standards, particularly concerning harassment or breaches of privacy. In August, they also amplified efforts to make people aware of when the glasses are recording.
“We don’t want people recording videos of others without their consent and then sharing them on our platform. We’re doing everything we can to prevent that,” stated Instagram chief Adam Mosseri recently.
Such complaints have not been isolated. On social media, other women have shared their discomfort, including one who mentioned on Bluesky that a date showed her unapproved photos, and another expressing unease after encountering the glasses during a date, as shared in a TikTok video.
McAnuff’s worries spanned further than just the immediate concern of being recorded; she questioned what might happen to that video later on. “He didn’t ask if I wanted to be recorded or if my face could be uploaded. Now he has this video file of me forever. It’s definitely a big trust issue,” she remarked.
After discovering the footage, she reached out to her date via text. He apologized but seemed to downplay the seriousness of the situation. Ultimately, their connection ended there.
The Post has reached out to Meta for comment.
