Is It Possible to Make Smart Glasses That Aren’t Creepy?

The rapid growth of the smart glasses market has drawn harsh criticism, primarily due to the ability of camera-equipped devices to surreptitiously capture photos and videos without the wearer's consent. Meta, the leading company in this space, creates smart glasses capable of recording images, audio, and video of whatever and whoever the wearer is looking at. While an indicator light warns bystanders that the glasses are recording, tech-savvy users have discovered ways to disable it.

As privacy concerns intensify, Meta has recently introduced anti-tamper features aimed at preventing users from meddling with the glasses. However, worries about potential misuse persist. In an attempt to address these concerns, Meta recently removed a face-recognition feature from its smart glasses after it was exposed by a WIRED report. The company's Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Bosworth, confirmed the feature's existence during an interview.

Meta's smart glasses are already a huge success, with tens of millions of units sold. People continue to find practical uses for the devices, from capturing action shots to providing real-time captioning for the hearing impaired. In response to the backlash, smaller companies like Realities have focused on creating camera-free smart glasses. Meanwhile, other brands, such as Solos, offer privacy shields that can be attached to the camera lenses when needed.

The privacy debate surrounding smart glasses mirrors past concerns about camera-equipped smartphones, laptops, and other personal devices. However, unlike those earlier examples, smart glasses are designed to blend in inconspicuously, making them even more stealthy. This inconspicuousness is what sets them apart and contributes to the controversy.

Despite the challenges, some experts believe that privacy can be ensured through design changes. For example, making indicator lights more visible or making the glasses more conspicuous could help mitigate the privacy concerns. However, it seems that the market demand for smart glasses that look like regular eyewear outweighs the desire for highly conspicuous privacy features.

Policy advocates argue that legislation is needed to address the privacy concerns. They propose requiring visible indicators on recording devices and prohibiting users from disabling those indicators. This pushback against smart glasses comes at a time when other surveillance technologies are under scrutiny. As awareness grows about the implications of pervasive surveillance, people are starting to question the privacy implications of smart glasses and other similar devices.