Meta AI glasses disable camera if recording light is blocked as privacy concerns grow

Meta has outlined a series of privacy measures for its AI glasses, saying it is strengthening safeguards as concerns grow over the devices' ability to record people without their consent.In a blog post published on July 7, the company said its AI glasses include a blinking white "capture LED" on the frame to indicate when photos or videos are being recorded. It added that users also hear a shutter sound while capturing content, although it acknowledged that the sound may not be audible from a distance.Meta said some users have attempted to cover the indicator light. The company stated that, starting with its second generation of AI glasses, the camera is automatically disabled if the system detects that the capture LED has been blocked."No photos or videos can be taken until we detect that the light is unblocked," Meta said, adding that some people had gone beyond placing tape over the light and had instead tried more advanced methods to alter or damage the capture LED.Meta targets modified AI glassesThe company also said it is removing advertisements, posts and product listings promoting modified AI glasses designed to bypass the LED indicator. According to Meta, it is also banning accounts linked to such activity and pursuing legal action against sellers offering tampering services."As our glasses become more capable and common, our teams continue to work on ways to make them even safer and more trustworthy. We set a high standard for our AI glasses because we believe it's an essential component of any good technology," the company said.Meta further noted that mobile phones and action cameras do not use a dedicated recording light to indicate when their cameras are active.Privacy concerns continueThe company's response comes after criticism over how footage captured by its AI glasses is handled.A recent investigation by Swedish media outlets reported that contract workers in Kenya were able to review highly personal footage recorded through Meta's AI glasses, including intimate and sexual content. Several workers reportedly said they were disturbed by the explicit material they had to view.As Meta expands marketing of its AI glasses in the United States and other markets, critics have urged authorities to introduce regulations governing the devices' recording features, particularly in public spaces and sensitive locations.