Meta LED-Tamper Update Fails to Stop Secret Recording on 7 Million Smartglasses

1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 19

Meta’s July software update meant to disable smartglasses with tampered recording LEDs has not reliably worked, with multiple modifiers telling the Guardian they can still bypass the safeguard and keep cameras functioning.
One vendor said he had altered hundreds of pairs after Meta announced the fix, while an Engadget reporter blocked the light with a $2 sticker, undercutting Meta’s claim that covered or damaged LEDs disable recording.
The weak safeguard matters because the glasses have been used for covert filming in homes, festivals, beaches and workplaces, with victims saying the devices are far harder to spot than phones even when the LED is active.
Meta sold about 7 million pairs in 2025 and is pushing the devices through Ray-Ban, Oakley and celebrity tie-ins, even as Instagram removes some harassment videos and privacy advocates warn the product is normalizing surveillance.
The backlash is widening beyond LED abuse: Meta has faced scrutiny over stored user recordings, a class-action suit over privacy claims, and reports and patent filings tied to possible facial-recognition features.