This app is a smart glasses creep detector

A new app called ZuckOff aims to alert users when AI smart glasses are present nearby. Created by Polish developer Paweł Szydłowski, the app identifies smart glasses based on manufacturer signatures, such as those of Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, and Snap Spectacles. It can also detect Bluetooth-enabled devices, including HeyCyan, Apple Vision Pro, and VistaView, with a lower confidence level.

ZuckOff works best when smart glasses are out of their case, powered on, and paired with a device. The app displays the brand, quantity, and detection confidence level of any smart glasses in the room, but it cannot pinpoint the direction or location of the signal. It functions akin to a metal or radar detector for smart glasses, rather than providing GPS data.

The app does not require accounts, analytics, or location tracking. While ZuckOff can send lock-screen notifications, it is not foolproof. There is a possibility that smart glasses could be recording without the app detecting them, and the recognition of a Meta or Snap signal does not guarantee that a device is actively filming.

This app is part of a wider trend in response to the increasing prevalence of surveillance. For instance, in August, the search engine DuckDuckGo introduced a satirical "Normal F***ing Sunglasses" - $35 glasses without cameras or microphones. Meanwhile, Meta is reportedly developing a new generation of smart glasses without a camera, indicating that consumer privacy concerns are influencing real-world design choices.

ZuckOff provides users with a potential means of countering the pervasive surveillance posed by smart glasses.