Meta just fixed a privacy vulnerability with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, but could cameraless designs be the better future?

Date:
Wed, 08 Jul 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Description:
I hate cameraless smart glasses, so Im glad Meta just solved a big vulnerability with its specs.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter A new update is coming to
Meta's smart glasses It should stop modders from disabling the light that
lets people know you're using the camera Meta is also targeting modders on
and off its platform Last month we shared details of reports that Meta
glasses were being modded to bypass privacy protections and turn them into secret spy glasses. Now Meta has revealed it will update the glasses software to detect whether its light has been tampered with (or destroyed) to prevent recording.

Whenever you take a photo or video with Meta glasses, a white light appears
on the front of the glasses to signal to people around you that youre
filming.

For creeps looking to be more secretive with their recordings, this light is
a hindrance, but Meta has imposed more basic tamper-proof features since launch. That is, any attempt to use the camera while the light is blocked such as by a piece of tape wouldnt be allowed. The trouble is, modders have found ways to open up the glasses and disable or damage the light and its mechanisms that prevent it from showing, without getting flagged by the
system meaning you can use the camera as you normally would, but without anyone else knowing. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: (Image credit: Meta) This is (to put it bluntly) not good, and when the reports came out, a Meta spokesperson told me that the company was looking into ways to disable this workaround. They also explained that Meta is working hard to stamp out advertisements for these kinds of services some of which appeared on its own Facebook Marketplace platform with its latest announcement explaining this means banning accounts, taking down listings, and taking legal action against people or businesses that tamper with its tech. You may like Modders are disabling the Meta Ray-Bans most important safety feature Pennsylvanian lawmakers want new smart glasses safety rules Apples rumored Meta Ray-Bans rivals could tempt me to switch here's why

Beyond the detail of updating software to prevent tampering, the whole
article from Meta is focused on privacy, and crucially how Meta keeps you and others safe.

Thanks to people misusing its tech, the wider notoriety these gadgets are getting again, and reports of contractors seeing recorded images and videos that Meta glasses users might not have fully realized they could see, Meta
and smart glasses makers have been facing major privacy questions. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

With this article, Meta seems to answer many of them, though well have to
wait and see if it can convince users or if they might be tempted by the
rise of cameraless smart glasses. The only way is cameraless? (Image credit: Alastair Jennings) Even Realities , another smart glasses firm, recently announced it has raised $150 million in investment at a $1 billion valuation not too shabby for a company that only launched its first XR gadget in 2024.

Instead of Metas camera-first approach, Even Realities went for a display-first approach. Information is shown visually as green text and basic diagrams to provide features such as AI advice, navigational directions, or a speech appearing on a virtual prompter. Its specs also lack speakers, though thats not true for all glasses of their kind. What to read next Meta urged to cancel its controversial rumored Name Tag feature Meta and EssilorLuxottica's new AI glasses are both stylish and affordable Facial recognition code has been found in the Meta AI app for smart glasses

Losing out on the camera is, of course, a major privacy win for some, as theres no possible way for the glasses to see something they shouldnt or be used to spy.

The thing is, I think these kinds of glasses are pretty terrible. Having tested a few at home, the ones without a camera just arent worth wearing. (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector) Smart glasses, despite being increasingly popular, are in their infancy, which in the tech world means you can expect to pay a fair sum for relatively limited features thats the price of being an early adopter. Thats especially true, Ive found, for these XR glasses specifically, because while they can offer several tools like navigation, on-screen translations, a prompter, and notification pop-ups, their usefulness is pretty limited.

How often do you need a prompter? Or one-way translation tools? In the case
of the latter, because these kinds of glasses often have you rely on your phone to set up the translation feature or access other features, you might
as well just turn to something like Google Translate which has conversation modes so that two people can talk and see translations through a single device.

The software Ive found for these types of specs can also be pretty terrible with sluggishness, inaccuracies, and crashes and if I, as someone who tests smart glasses professionally, have trouble, I cant imagine what less techy people must think.

Additionally, the green text can be hard to make out on a bright day if youre outside, making on-screen directions difficult to see. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) While admittedly more limited feature-wise, the Meta
glasses and smart specs like them feel like way better value for money. From Meta specifically, the software is generally very reliable, and more broadly, the ability to snap a photo whenever either to capture a moment or to
provide context for an AIs response comes in handy so often.

Even if it isnt as good as my phone camera, the ability to record a memory, hands-free and without being taken out of the moment, is so utterly delightful.

Yes, there are privacy challenges which need to be hashed out more formally, as even without the ability to record privately there is still plenty of room for creeps to harass people with this kind of gadget, but if you want a pair of smart glasses right now there simply isnt a better option. Follow
TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Today's best Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer (Gen 2) deals 330.96 View 379 View deal 379 View Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/meta-jus t-fixed-a-privacy-vulnerability-with-its-ray-ban-smart-glasses-but-could-camer aless-designs-be-the-better-future


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