In a case of hilarious timing — you know, dystopian — a new report details Meta’s upcoming “supersense” smart glasses. They have always-on microphones and cameras, as the company addresses the privacy issue that’s been glaringly obvious in existing models.
Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses gained notoriety last year for being used for invasive and nefarious purposes, as bad actors modified the glasses so that their built-in privacy light was turned off and no longer activated when the camera was active.
A mandatory update that fixes this issue is rolling out now.
But it comes as a new report details Meta’s plans for “supersense” smart glasses with microphones and an always-on camera. Financial Times details the new model previously reportedprobably would have no turn on the privacy light when the camera is active.
The report states:
However, executives currently plan not to activate the LED when super-sensitive functions are in use, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. This would make it harder for bystanders to know when they are being recorded, potentially exacerbating privacy concerns surrounding the technology. Those plans could still change, however, several people said.
It is also noted that these super sensitive features may even come to existing models at some point. The “always on” nature is not necessarily full video, but pictures taken “every few seconds”. According to the report, the privacy light won’t be used for always-on shots, not active shots and recordings.
In a policy document cited in the 2025 report, Meta said:
If the LED blinks for a long time at a time (for example, when interacting with AI), people may stop noticing it, reducing the awareness of users when photos or videos are taken.
What is all this data used for?
Apparently, Meta plans to feed the raw material directly into the AI models, not making those records available to the user or even Meta itself, which it uses to remember its day or get answers from the AI about what it sees or hears. Google showed a demo before Where Gemini could remember where something was in a room after seeing it during a “Live” chat – although this wasn’t always a working system, but rather an active discussion between the user and the AI models.
More about smart glasses:
Follow me: Twitter/X, Topics, Blueskyand Instagram
FTC: We use automatic affiliate links that generate income. More.
