New York Courts Ban Camera-Equipped Glasses as Meta AI Wearables Face 24/7 Privacy Backlash
Updated
Updated · Social Media Today · Jul 21
New York Courts Ban Camera-Equipped Glasses as Meta AI Wearables Face 24/7 Privacy Backlash
3 articles · Updated · Social Media Today · Jul 21
Summary
New York’s Office of Court Administration has barred all camera-equipped glasses from courts this month, marking an early institutional crackdown on AI wearables over privacy risks.
Meta’s glasses are drawing the sharpest scrutiny after reports users paid hackers to disable recording lights, while the company also explored 24/7 activity capture and facial identification features.
The backlash is spreading beyond regulators: Lorde publicly urged fans not to buy the glasses, and some users reportedly now avoid wearing what critics call “pervert glasses” in public.
That stigma threatens a fast-growing market—Meta’s rebranded AI glasses more than tripled sales in 2025—while Snap’s bulky $2,000 Specs face wearability criticism and Google Glass offers a cautionary precedent.
Broader restrictions could undercut Meta’s push to make AI glasses a phone successor, especially as consumer AI products still struggle to prove clear everyday value.