How to Tell Whether Someone Is Wearing Smart Glasses With a Camera
Smart glasses with built-in cameras and AI features are raising concerns about covert recording and surveillance. Tech outlet Engadget has compiled signs for spotting them and advice on what to do if you are suspicious.
Smart glasses equipped with cameras, microphones and AI features are becoming increasingly popular in the consumer tech market. Alongside that growth, concerns are rising that the devices could be used to secretly film people, stalk them or carry out other shady activity. Tech outlet Engadget has put together a list of ways to spot such glasses and guidance on how to respond if you suspect someone is using them.
Physical signs
Smart glasses often have thicker frames, since the electronics have to fit inside. This is especially true around the temples and the outer edges of the lenses. The camera lens is typically on the outer side of the lenses, while ports or speaker grilles may sit further back on the arms. This is not always the case, however.
Most smart glasses also have an indicator light that turns on while they are recording, so it is worth looking for a small LED. However, there are reports of cheap knock-offs sold on TikTok Shop and Temu that lack such a light. Some audio-first glasses, such as the Ray-Ban Meta Audio Glasses, have no camera at all.
Behavioral cues
Someone may be using smart glasses if they quickly press the temples of their frames, pause now and then as if reading text on a lens display, or whisper voice commands. These behaviors could also be unrelated to smart glasses.
Warning apps
Apps have recently appeared that can alert you to smart glasses nearby. Nearby Glasses and ZuckOff scan for Bluetooth devices and identifiers commonly associated with AI glasses. Neither is fully reliable: a wearer may have switched Bluetooth off, and false positives are possible.
What to do
Engadget advises against jumping to a confrontation. If someone nearby raises your suspicions, move away from them, and contact the authorities if you are being followed. If you host a meeting or event that requires confidentiality, you can neutrally state that smart glasses are not permitted. If you do need to ask a stranger whether they are recording you without your knowledge, do so calmly and in a public place.
