Meta prevents its smart glasses from being used for covert recording

Meta has updated its software in an effort to close a loophole that allowed users to record while the indicator light on its smart glasses was covered, using the smart glasses to record other people covertly.

Meta Vice President of AR Alex Himel said in a post on Threads that the smart glasses camera is designed not to start recording if the LED light is obstructed, but some people have tried to circumvent this by starting a recording and then covering the light.

“A fix for this issue is now rolling out, and the camera will now stop operating if the light is covered while recording is in progress,” he said, as quoted by Engadget on Thursday (27/8).

Following the software update, the camera on Meta’s smart glasses products will automatically stop recording if the system detects that the indicator light is covered during recording.

To address privacy concerns and recording without consent, Meta previously stated that the camera on its smart glasses would be disabled if the device detects that the recording indicator light has been tampered with.

A number of Instagram accounts known to have distributed videos recorded covertly using smart glasses have been blocked.

However, the company has not yet succeeded in stopping all the tactics used by users to record other people covertly.

In addition, there are cheap accessory products that can be used to circumvent the recording indicator light without being detected.

Himel hinted that Meta is still developing additional safety features for its smart glasses devices.

According to him, the company will continue to roll out updates to ensure the recording indicator light can reliably notify people nearby when a photo or video is being taken for the user’s gallery.

“Only a small fraction of people try to circumvent these protections, and the fact that they have to go to such lengths to do so shows that our efforts are working,” he said.