Smart glasses are already causing havoc in India

Smart glasses are causing controversy in India after a transgender woman was filmed without her consent while wearing traditional Indian clothing. Shubnam, a 38-year-old transfeminine graphic designer and educator, was approached by a friend who showed them an Instagram video recorded by a Meta smart glasses user at a Delhi protest against a bill that would have restricted legal recognition for transgender people.

The video was edited into a mocking reel and spread across social media, causing significant harm to Shubnam. Experts warn that as smart glasses become mainstream, privacy concerns will grow, particularly in India where covert recording and image circulation are already common. Smart glasses are becoming popular in India's wearables market, with Reliance Jio planning to launch a cheaper alternative later this year.

However, the core privacy issue is that these cameras are not easily noticeable, making consent difficult to establish. Meta maintains that its recording light cannot be turned off, but tutorials show that users can cover or disable the light while continuing to record. The issue is further complicated by the fact that smart glasses are being adopted by police for surveillance purposes in India, leading to increased cases of cyberstalking, sextortion, deepfakes, and other forms of online abuse.