Meta is rolling out a fix to make its AI glasses less creepy, closing a loophole that let users hide the recording indicator light. The change comes after nonconsensual recordings made with the glasses spread widely online, sparking backlash.
The core issue: Meta's smart glasses have a small LED light meant to alert people nearby that the camera is rolling. But users found a simple workaround — start recording first, then slap a sticker over the light. That trick made secret filming easy, and it went viral.
How Meta is closing the recording loophole
According to Ars Technica, Meta previously disabled recording if a user tried to start capturing video after placing a sticker over the light. But people quickly learned they could reverse the order — covering the light after recording had already begun.
The update changes that. In a post on Threads, Meta's executive vice president of wearables, Alex Himel, explained that the new version ensures "the camera w..." — meaning the system will now detect when the LED is covered mid-recording and shut the camera down.
"The camera w..." — Alex Himel, Meta EVP of Wearables, via Ars Technica
What the fix means for privacy and bystanders
The LED light exists for one reason: to tell people they are being filmed. Covering it defeats that purpose entirely. By closing this loophole, Meta is restoring a basic layer of consent — if the light is visible, bystanders can make an informed choice about whether to stay or leave.
However, as Ars Technica notes, privacy risks remain. The fix blocks one specific workaround, but it does not address every way someone might misuse the glasses. The device is still a camera worn on the face, and the LED is small — easy to miss in bright light or crowded spaces.
The Guardian has also raised broader questions about surveillance, asking readers directly: "Did someone wearing Meta Glasses film you today? Are you sure?" That question captures the lingering unease — even with this fix, the glasses make covert recording far easier than a phone ever could.
Our Take: A step forward, but not a solution
To put it plainly: this update is good, but it is not enough. Closing the sticker loophole is a sensible, low-cost move that Meta should have made from the start. The fact that users could so easily defeat the safety light was a design failure, not an oversight.
But let's be honest about what this fix does and does not do. It stops one trick. It does not stop someone from holding the glasses at an angle, recording in a dark room, or simply relying on the fact that most people will not notice a tiny LED on someone's face. The technology still makes nonconsensual recording easier than it has ever been.
Meta deserves credit for responding to the backlash. But the company built these glasses knowing exactly how they could be misused. One patch does not erase that. If Meta truly wants to make its glasses "less creepy," it should keep pushing — brighter indicators, audio alerts, or even a hard limit on recording in certain settings. Until then, the burden still falls on bystanders to stay alert.
For now, the update is a welcome change. Just do not mistake it for a complete fix.
