Researchers Show How Meta's 'Pervert Glasses' Are Used to Harass Women
A new study shows how pickup artist influencers use smart glasses to create content, and the connection between covert recording and harm.
Researchers have uncovered how Meta's smart glasses are being exploited to harass women. Instagram is rife with first-person videos showing men approaching women in public spaces and delivering pickup lines. The women typically react with nervous laughter, disgust, or telling the man to stop. These men record the encounters using Meta's smart glasses, which upload the videos to Meta's platforms.
University of Sydney researchers analyzed 350 Instagram videos from September 2023 to March 2026. They found a strong link between how covertly the videos were filmed and the severity of the harassment. The researchers noted that Meta's smart glasses, particularly the Ray-Ban variant, enable surreptitious filming that can lead to harassment.
Meta has promised to remove harassing content, but researchers argue that the burden should be on the company, not the victims. The long-term digital presence of these videos can subject women to ongoing harassment.
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