‘I’m not spying’: how Meta’s smartglasses have divided opinion
📰 source: theguardian_business · 💼 business
more than 7m pairs of meta's ray-ban smartglasses were reportedly sold in 2025, making them one of the world's most popular gadgets. the glasses have divided opinion: supporters say they transform photography and accessibility, while critics worry about nonconsensual filming, privacy and data collection.
in the hague, servaas wears them daily for the camera, using them to film walks and bike rides. he says most people don't realise he's wearing them, though security at a government building once stopped him. he's not put off by reports that meta workers in kenya viewed private footage. nikki, 59 and blind since birth in devon, calls the glasses "a real gamechanger" — she uses the ai to describe what's ahead, like a van unloading scaffolding. she worries privacy backlash could make the tech less accessible for people like her.
for karen, 84, with severe hearing loss, the live-caption feature worked in a quiet store but failed in groups of three to seven people. kiki in the west midlands finds discreet cameras "pervasive," especially for women and children, and says the glasses make her more wary in public. pete from northampton says he doesn't trust where the data goes and draws the line at ai-powered wearables, despite acknowledging benefits for disabled users.
why it matters: meta sold 7m smartglasses in 2025, but privacy and accessibility complaints will shape whether wearables go mainstream.
source: theguardian_business
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