How to Use Meta Smart Glasses Without Being a Creep

8 min readImagine you’re at a bar and a stranger starts talking to you. Nothing unusual, and maybe you even welcome the social interaction at first. Until you notice a tiny blinking light on the corner of their glasses. They don’t have a phone out, but they’re recording you anyway. It’s like you’re getting Punk’d face to face. Would you feel comfortable? Probably not.That’s the problem smart glasses are running into as they become more common. It isn’t always easy to tell when someone is using the camera to take a photo or record video. At a glance, they often look like just another pair of glasses.Smart Glasses We RecommendAnd even when people know they are being recorded, many are simply not on board with how brands like Meta handle privacy. These glasses are becoming more capable and artificial intelligence–focused, which raises even more privacy concerns. Meta seems to be learning that camera-equipped smart glasses aren’t the only way to go, though. In September, the brand introduced Ray-Ban Meta Audio, a camera-free pair of A.I. glasses that can still play music, take calls, and interact with A.I. assistants, giving people a choice about whether they want a wearable camera or not.But even still, the backlash around these devices is already here. In August, the Los Angeles Times reported on growing fears surrounding Meta’s A.I. glasses after viral videos showed people secretly filming women and strangers in gyms, clubs, college campuses, and even bedrooms. Additionally, researchers at the University of Sydney have documented that smart glasses are creating new forms of online harassment and gender-based harms through what they call “ambient capture,” which is when the glasses are used to record in everyday settings and circulate the footage online.It all sounds very doom and gloom, but we haven’t fully given up on smart glasses just yet. Ultimately, they are a tool, just like any other. And it’s on us to use our tools responsibly. We’re not going to change the world’s mind on smart glasses, but let’s talk about what you should and shouldn’t do if you wear smart glasses in public like a responsible person, rather than one of the creeps everyone’s afraid of.Just Because You Can Record Doesn’t Mean You ShouldThe golden rule of smart glasses is a simple one: Treat the camera on your glasses the same way you’d use the camera on your phone. That means making it very clear when you plan to record people or places, and asking for permission before taking a photo of a stranger.It’s easy to forget about photo etiquette with smart glasses since the process is so streamlined, and you can take a photo quickly. But that’s all the more reason why you need to be conscious and conscientious when you use them. Meta’s smart glasses have an indicator light to let people know you’re recording, but a blinking LED doesn’t equal consent.Winston ZhouMeta glasses have a blinking light to indicate when they are recording.We’ve seen that recording without permission is at the heart of many people’s complaints about smart glasses. Last month CBS reported on a woman who discovered she had been covertly filmed by someone wearing Meta glasses, and the video was subsequently posted online without her permission. Wired recently posted an article about a woman who was unknowingly recorded on a first date, with the footage uploaded to Instagram (major red flag, by the way).Think you’re in the clear of creepy recording at work? Think again. There are so many more stories like these, and one thing is clear: Most people don’t like it when you start recording them without warning. If you want to wear cameras on your face, you need to make sure everyone around you trusts you to not do that.So if you’re taking a group photo at a party, filming your friends dancing, or capturing a conversation with someone, let them know you’re recording beforehand. If someone doesn’t know you’re filming, they don’t have an opportunity to say no, move out of the shot, or ask you not to share the footage.And remember that recording and sharing are two separate decisions. Someone might be comfortable being in a private video that you keep in your camera roll, but not want that video posted on TikTok or Instagram for potentially the world to see. When in doubt, ask.🗣️ How to Ask Someone if It’s Okay to Record ThemAsking a stranger for permission to take their picture or record them can be awkward, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it short and explain what you’re doing, and give them the opportunity to say no (and don’t argue if they do).If you’re already recording and realize someone entered the frame, you can also pause and ask afterward before using or sharing any of the footage. And if you’re coming up to someone specifically because you want to record them, ask them before you turn on the camera, not after you’ve already gotten the content. Being upfront and honest from the beginning will go a lot farther, and posing it as a question gives others some control over what happens next.Be Extra Cautious in Places Where People Expect PrivacyThere are some places where the answer should simply be don’t record. Bathrooms, locker rooms, private homes, healthcare facilities, courtrooms, and similar spaces are not appropriate spaces to experiment with a wearable camera. If you are wearing your smart glasses in one of these places, the most considerate thing you can do is to take them off entirely. That way, you remove the uncertainty and it gives everyone around you one less thing to worry about.As a smart glasses wearer, your consideration for other people’s privacy has to extend beyond the mere act of whether or not it’s okay for you to record them. Meta’s smart glasses (and many others) feature heavy A.I. integrations, which means that your photos, videos, and even audio picked up by their microphones may be fed into an A.I., and used for training purposes.Reporting on Meta has shown that A.I. training data is often reviewed by humans, which means that feeding a photo into the algorithm is not that different from sharing it online: In both cases, strangers may see or hear them. Meta has promised that it will add “private processing” support to smart glasses, which would prevent anyone, including the company itself, from seeing your data. That feature is not here yet, and there’s no timetable for when it’s coming, so we need to act accordingly.I think it’s best to take a better-safe-than-sorry approach to this. There are many times and places where people are in public, but have a heightened sensitivity to trespassing on their personal space. Think about the waiting room in a doctor’s office, or the gym, or even two people having a deeply personal conversation in a restaurant. You don’t need to ask to know these people don’t want to be recorded, so allow them to live their lives without that stress.The Recording Light Is Your FriendAcknowledgment and consent are at the heart of every rule we have on smart glasses etiquette, so it almost goes without saying that any action you might want to take to limit them. Almost.Meta’s smart glasses feature an indicator light that shows people when you’re recording video. Over the past year or so, the company has added multiple waves of antitampering measures to that light, because people have found ways to disable it so they can record video without anyone noticing. If you’re thinking about doing that, maybe ... just don’t. As we’ve discussed, the indicator light alone does not ensure consent. It may make people comfortable, though, while you are recording them.And if someone catches you deliberately disabling the indicator and recording? Well, if it were me, I’d put you on blast so everyone can see who the person behind the “spy glasses” really is. You purposely went out of your way to hide the fact that you’re recording, so don’t be surprised by an extreme reaction.Not Every Conversation Has to Be A.I. Training DataAlso, keep in mind that the privacy conversation around smart glasses extends beyond photos and video. These devices also have microphones and A.I. assistants, which introduces another layer of consideration. When you ask your glasses about something you’re seeing in your surroundings, or have the assistant interpret a conversation, you may be involving other people’s voices, faces, or personal information in that interaction, too. You don’t have to panic every time you ask the A.I. assistant something out loud, but be mindful about using the feature around others.Winston ZhouIt goes without saying that you should exercise caution, consideration, and discretion when using smart glasses in public settings.Plus, depending on where you live, recording audio without explicit consent can also create legal issues. Recording consent laws vary by state in the U.S., so don’t assume that being in a public place automatically gives you permission to record every conversation around you.Facial Recognition Could Make Things Even TrickierIf this sounds like a lot to keep track of, just wait: Things are about to get a lot more complicated. Earlier this year, Wired reporters found code in Meta’s A.I. software for an unreleased facial-recognition system called “NameTag,” which could automatically identify people in photos captured by its smart glasses.This obviously raises huge privacy concerns and could make more people even more skittish about being recorded in any circumstances, especially during a time when surveillance technology is gaining even more scrutiny. Dozens of law enforcement officers have been facing the consequences for misusing Flock, an automated license plate reader, to illegally track people, including exes and romantic partners. The company says it has introduced safeguards, but the public is already upset by how this system is being used and abused.Flock cameras aren’t smart glasses, and the systems work differently, but the controversy further illustrates why people are wary about technology that quietly collects information. The policies around these features are still evolving, but it’s probably a good idea to be aware that the technology inside these glasses is changing, as are many people’s perceptions about what it means to be recorded in public, even if it’s just for fun.🛑 A Few Quick TipsIf you’re worried about becoming “that” person with camera glasses, these quick guidelines should cover most everyday scenarios:Tell people when you’re recording them.Ask permission before posting someone else’s face online.Don’t record in places where people reasonably expect privacy.Don’t intentionally hide or disable recording indicators.Be mindful of audio, not just video.Put the glasses away when someone asks you to stop recording.If you’re ever unsure, use your phone instead, or don’t record at all.There Are a Lot of Things to Remember, But It Boils Down to Just OneFor smart glasses to gain real acceptance from the wider world, people wearing them aren’t the only ones who need to trust the device. The people standing next to them need to feel like they still have some control over their own privacy, too.While it may seem like the social nuances of using wearable cameras responsibly are vast and varied, it really all boils down to that single principle. Taking a photo or a video is a group activity, and both the person using the camera and the subject(s) of the recording have to be on board. So look before you record, and ask when appropriate. Don’t assume that just because the tech makes your life easier, everyone else has agreed to it. If you do that, and respect that people can and will say no sometimes, I think most people will become comfortable with your new glasses.Amber is a Reviews Editor with bylines on Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Best Products sites. Specializing in kitchen gadgets, small appliances, lifestyle, and consumer tech, she brings hands-on testing and a detail-oriented approach to every review. In her free time you can likely find her trading trinkets at an EDM festival, searching for hidden gems at thrift stores, or cuddling with her two cats.