Smart glasses are making unwanted surveillance all too easy, but you’re far from powerless against this covert tech.
Smart glasses might be the next big trend in consumer tech, as there’s certainly real demand for these gadget-intensive pieces of eyewear. However, there are very legitimate concerns about how these glasses can be used for stalking or other shady activity, especially as the prevalence of public recording comes more and more under scrutiny. If you share those concerns, you might want to keep an eye out for some tell-tale signs of AI glasses.
Of course, it could be a little rude to go around asking random people if they’re wearing AI glasses when you’re going off a gut instinct. Luckily, most (albeit not all) smart glasses brands have built-in signs of use. If you can’t rely on those giveaways, there are some solid-enough reasons for you to be suspicious.
How to recognize whether someone’s using smart glasses
Smart glasses are actually pretty easy to recognize at a glance, as their tech-riddled innards often require thick frames, particularly around the temples and the outer sides of the lenses (although this admittedly isn’t always the case). That second area is typically where camera lenses are located, while any giveaway ports or grilles might be further back on the design. Most smart glasses also have an indicator light that turns on when they’re filming; if you suspect you’re being filmed via smart glasses, look for a small LED light.
However, there are reports of a variety of low-cost dupe glasses being sold on sites such as TikTok Shop and Temu that don’t have a recording light (as well as audio-first glasses that don’t have cameras, such as the Ray-Ban Meta Audio Glasses), so you’ll need to look closer at the aforementioned physical traits. You can also check whether someone you suspect is recording is quickly pressing the temples of their glasses, pausing every now and then to zone out (as if to read text on their glasses’ display), or whispering quiet voice commands to themselves. These could be signs of someone interacting with their smart glasses, though there is a small chance they are all completely unrelated.
The apps that can warn you about smart glasses
One of the most recent developments in the arms race against this tech is the arrival of apps that can warn you if smart glasses are nearby. The likes of Nearby Glasses and ZuckOff scan for nearby Bluetooth devices and the identifiers often associated with AI glasses. Admittedly, both of these apps aren’t completely reliable. For one thing, there’s a chance that anyone wearing smart glasses nearby has turned off their Bluetooth. There’s also a risk of false positives. However, both can serve as your first line of defense against nearby smart glasses.
Just because you have a strong suspicion that there are AI glasses nearby, though, doesn’t mean you should jump immediately to a confrontation. The best thing to do if someone near you is stirring your suspicions is to move away from the individual and speak to the authorities if you’re being followed. If you’re hosting a meeting or event that demands a level of confidentiality, it may be worth making a neutral statement about smart glasses not being permitted. In either case, if you need to speak with a stranger about whether they’re recording you without your knowledge, do so calmly in a public environment.
