Meet the man who disables the annoying LED on your Meta smart glasses

A disturbing article in The Guardian includes an interview with an online vendor that is modifying Meta's smart glasses to disable the built-in LED warning indicator that signals when the device is recording video.

Although Meta designed the hardware to block recording if the LED is covered, third-party modifiers, such as the Los Angeles-based business Ghost Metas, bypass this failsafe using everyday tools to permanently deactivate the light. The modification makes it impossible for members of the public to know they are being filmed. While some clients claim to purchase the service for legitimate reasons, such as delivery workers seeking evidence against false claims of undelivered orders or parents filming their children, the practice raises significant privacy and safety concerns for those who claim their "intentions were creepy."

Meta's smart glasses have been linked to widespread non-consensual filming, harassment, and exploitation. Reports highlight instances of wearers secretly recording women in public spaces, filming inside strip clubs, creating exploitative content in massage parlours, and capturing private domestic interactions. Despite promotional campaigns featuring high-profile endorsements, the ability to record covertly has intensified backlash over the misuse of wearable tech and the erosion of personal privacy in public spaces.

In related news, cinemas are reportedly considering joining His Majesty's Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), as well as several restaurants, theatres, and pubs that have banned the technology.   

Meanwhile, a Scottish lawyer has called for the devolved government to create a standalone right to privacy (£), saying it's "inevitable" that more people will seek legal advice after being covertly filmed by people using such technologies for nefarious purposes. 

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