Privacy Victory? Meta Reportedly Planning To Release Smart Glasses Without Cameras

Tech fans who want Meta’s AI-powered glasses without the fear of being accused of creepily recording unwitting subjects will reportedly be getting an option to buy the glasses without cameras. Meta unveiled its first-generation Ray Ban smart glasses in 2021, and it has released new versions that include augmented reality. The glasses offer AI-powered features such as live translation of spoken conversations and the ability to take phone calls or ask Meta AI questions. The glasses also allow wearers to film and livestream what the company calls “special moments.” However, the glasses have faced criticism amid a wave of stories of wearers discreetly filming people in public without their consent. A tech-focused outlet, the Information, reported that Meta will be releasing a version of its smart glasses without cameras that will be sold along with the version with cameras. The slimmed-down version will have built-in microphones so wearers can still talk to Meta AI. The frames will also let wearers listen to music, take phone calls, and have an AI-powered assistant. Meta’s glasses were designed with a feature to let people know when they were being filmed: a white light that would blink on the frame when the glasses were recording. Until recently, wearers were able to circumvent that safety feature and keep the light off. The company recently released an update that prevents people from covering the light while filming. Last spring, Meta was also hit with complaints that owners were being recorded during intimate moments, such as when they were in the bathroom or undressed, without their knowledge. Workers alleged that the footage was being reviewed by contractors in Kenya so that they could annotate data to help train Meta AI. In April, 76 privacy and civil liberties advocates — including the ACLU, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, the National Organization for Women, Planned Parenthood and the Free Speech Coalition — sent a letter to Meta raising concerns about reports that it planned to include facial recognition technology in its glasses. The letter said the technology would identify “any strangers” in the vicinity of the wearers by their name. The letter expressed concern that users could “link that information to digital databases containing a wealth of sensitive information on the target’s jobs, habits, health, and relationships.”The director of technology and justice programs at the ACLU of Massachusetts, Kade Crockford, said that “stalkers and scammers” would have a “field day” with the feature, calling it “dangerous and dystopian.” Meta backed away from the technology.Some users on social media questioned what the point of the glasses is without the camera. One user wrote on X, “What functions would it provide without a camera though. They could allow you to connect to your phone’s camera as it would reduce the rate at which perverts use it for their bad acts. But it still sacrifices UX.”“Camera free Meta glasses after all that Ray Ban camera marketing feels backwards,” another user said.Another person wrote that the glasses would essentially be “airpods that look like glasses.”However, some suggested that the new version may improve sales and appeal to people who do not want to be accused of being a “creep.”Meta did not respond to The New York Sun’s request for comment by the time of publication.

Privacy Victory? Meta Reportedly Planning To Release Smart Glasses Without Cameras

Privacy Victory? Meta Reportedly Planning To Release Smart Glasses Without Cameras

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