According to Business Insider, Meta has started banning Instagram accounts that used its smart glasses to secretly record people and post videos meant to harass them. The decision shows increasing concerns about users recording others without their permission using the company’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said Meta will remove posts that exploit or harass people, including the so-called “pickup line” videos that have circulated online. In a recent social media post, he said the company doesn’t want users secretly filming others and sharing those videos on Instagram.
This type of content has become increasingly common on Instagram. Many videos show creators using Meta smart glasses or similar devices to secretly record prank-style interactions with service workers that often escalate into harassment. Others capture unsolicited encounters with women in public who appear unaware they are being filmed. The trend has fueled derogatory labels such as “pervert glasses” and “predator glasses,” creating an image problem for Meta’s wearable devices.
Meta has not disclosed how many videos have been removed under the updated enforcement policy. However, Business Insider reported that two well-known Instagram accounts that posted non-consensual recordings of women in public have been taken offline. Meta told the publication the bans were issued because the accounts shared harassing content recorded with its smart glasses.
In addition to stronger moderation, Meta has implemented a software safeguard for its smart glasses. The update automatically disables camera functions if the device detects interference with the LED recording indicator, a feature some users had attempted to bypass by covering or physically modifying the light. The demand for stealth recording even led to unofficial “jailbreak” services designed to deactivate the indicator. Because the update was released only recently, its impact on abuse has yet to be measured.
Even when the recording light is working properly, it can be difficult to notice, especially in bright outdoor conditions.
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