Meta makes AI glasses slightly less creepy with limit on nonconsensual recording

Meta is rolling out an obvious fix to make its AI glasses less creepy amid backlash over the glasses' non-consensual recordings that have flooded the Internet.

On Friday, The Verge reported that Meta closed a loophole that made it easy for smart-glasses users to cover up an LED light that is supposed to alert bystanders that the device is actively recording. Meta had previously deactivated recording if a user attempted to start capturing video after placing a sticker over the light, but people quickly learned that they could get around that by reversing the order of the steps and covering up the light after they started recording.

In a post on Threads, Meta’s executive vice president of wearables, Alex Himel, explained that an update would be rolled out soon that ensures that “the camera will now stop working if the light is covered during a recording." That way “the capture LED can reliably alert bystanders when photos or videos are being captured for someone’s gallery,” Himel said.