Privacy: What Issues Do Facebook's New Smart Glasses Raise?

The specs enable users to take pictures and record video using cameras embedded in the frames

- Photograph by Getty/Images/Ray-Ban/Facebook

In September 2021, Facebook and Ray-Ban launched Stories – a pair of smart glasses that allow users to record audio, take pictures and make videos, as well as receive phone calls, listen to music, and look cool all at the same

time. But since their launch, various parties have raised concerns about privacy – will the glasses enable users to film others without their knowledge or consent? And who has access to the content once it is uploaded to Facebook or other social media sites?

Stories are essentially ordinary glasses that have speakers built into the frame around the temple near the ears, two cameras located at the top left and right of the bridge, and a three-microphone audio array positioned around the frame. They can be operated through voice control – ‘Hey Facebook, make a video’, etc – or by tapping a small button on the side of the glasses.