Black Market Tinkerers on Facebook Marketplace Offer to Hide 'Recording Lights' on Meta Smartglasses (thenewthings.com) 71
People are disabling the "recording light" on Meta's Ray-Ban smartglasses — "by my count, thousands of people," says tech journalist Joanna Stern in a new video report:
STERN: "They're hiring people on Facebook Marketplace to drill out the light for as much as $100. According to our reporting, folks are offering this service in at least 30 states — despite Meta's attempts to stop it... In most states, we found multiple listings. In the New York and New Jersey area alone there were 23 listings."
Stern watched a man in New Jersey disable and then conceal the light with a drill and dental probe in a New Jersey garage (a skill he learned watching YouTube and TikTok videos). He said the same day he'd already been contacted by eight more interested customers, and Stern also found at least 10 other people willing to do the same thing, just in New Jersey. "But what we found is they're all over the country."
Meta sold 7 million smartglasses in 2025, but a Meta spokesperson insisted to the videomaker that a "majority" of their smartglasses owners aren't blocking the recording light. And furthermore, they added "We aggressively target anyone advertising tampering tools, have removed thousands of violating ads and Marketplace listings for these services, and pursue legal action when appropriate." (The reporter acknowledges "many" of the Marketplace ads disappeared after they brought them to Meta's attention — and Meta also said they were working with other retailers and sellers to take down listings for smartglasses-tampering parts.)
The reporter also heard from one journalist who said they'd used it so they could record the activities of federal immigration agents without being targeted. "Others told me they just don't want people asking questions when they're recording." (There's video of one young man saying "It's already difficult enough to film in public. I don't want to have a blinking light on my face.")
Tampering with smartglasses isn't illegal — though it is against Meta's Terms of Service, and could void your warranty. But a lawyer in the report says recording others without consent may be illegal, depending on a wide range of "jurisdictional nuances" like whether you live in an all-party consent state or a one-party consent state. "This seems to be our new reality," the report concludes: "more cameras, more microphones everywhere, and less certainty about who and what is recording." (Tech blogger John Gruber offered this assessment. "Using a Meta platform to find people to hack a Meta device so you can surreptitiously record strangers. So perfectly Meta.")
Stern's report points out that "People are trying to fight back. Apps have popped up that use Bluetooth to scan for nearby camera glasses." (In the video one app-maker wonders why Meta isn't offering the same service themselves. "There are technical solutions to these problems.")
Ironically, when I watched the report on YouTube, it was preceded by... an ad for Meta's Ray-Ban AI smartglasses.
Stern watched a man in New Jersey disable and then conceal the light with a drill and dental probe in a New Jersey garage (a skill he learned watching YouTube and TikTok videos). He said the same day he'd already been contacted by eight more interested customers, and Stern also found at least 10 other people willing to do the same thing, just in New Jersey. "But what we found is they're all over the country."
Meta sold 7 million smartglasses in 2025, but a Meta spokesperson insisted to the videomaker that a "majority" of their smartglasses owners aren't blocking the recording light. And furthermore, they added "We aggressively target anyone advertising tampering tools, have removed thousands of violating ads and Marketplace listings for these services, and pursue legal action when appropriate." (The reporter acknowledges "many" of the Marketplace ads disappeared after they brought them to Meta's attention — and Meta also said they were working with other retailers and sellers to take down listings for smartglasses-tampering parts.)
The reporter also heard from one journalist who said they'd used it so they could record the activities of federal immigration agents without being targeted. "Others told me they just don't want people asking questions when they're recording." (There's video of one young man saying "It's already difficult enough to film in public. I don't want to have a blinking light on my face.")
Tampering with smartglasses isn't illegal — though it is against Meta's Terms of Service, and could void your warranty. But a lawyer in the report says recording others without consent may be illegal, depending on a wide range of "jurisdictional nuances" like whether you live in an all-party consent state or a one-party consent state. "This seems to be our new reality," the report concludes: "more cameras, more microphones everywhere, and less certainty about who and what is recording." (Tech blogger John Gruber offered this assessment. "Using a Meta platform to find people to hack a Meta device so you can surreptitiously record strangers. So perfectly Meta.")
Stern's report points out that "People are trying to fight back. Apps have popped up that use Bluetooth to scan for nearby camera glasses." (In the video one app-maker wonders why Meta isn't offering the same service themselves. "There are technical solutions to these problems.")
Ironically, when I watched the report on YouTube, it was preceded by... an ad for Meta's Ray-Ban AI smartglasses.
Re:Easy way to go to prison (Score:5, Insightful)
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Re: Easy way to go to prison (Score:2)
Re: Easy way to go to prison (Score:2)
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Where is the Sad But True mod when you need one?
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Its acceptable. Retail stores do it every time you walk in.
Re: Easy way to go to prison (Score:1)
They don't do it when I walk into a bus
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IANAL but that's already illegal because there is an expectation of privacy there. (18 U.S.C. 1801)
If you have a problem with the existing laws being ineffective, that sounds like an access to justice problem, not an access to glasses problem. You should try voting for somebody who will fix the access to justice problem.
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Re: Easy way to go to prison (Score:2)
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>"Legal to record in public in USA, dont know how draconian your government is to allow for prison on editing a device you own."
Indeed.
But it is also legal to ignore someone talking to you, or insult others, or wear tons of perfume, or skip a queue line, or not tipping at a restaurant despite good service, or allowing a door to close in someone's face, or using speakerphone around other people. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it is a good thing or OK thing to do.
Directly recording people at
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The concern is the secret recording.
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Actually, not legal. See, for example, 18 U.S.C. 2511. It requires, for example, that when you record a conversation, at least one party involved has given consent. If your record openly, implicit consent can be assumed. Although for these glasses that has still to be tested in court, it may not be obvious enough. Covert recording makes that implicit consent go away. But hey, it is only up to 5 years behind bars, so who cares.
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>"It requires, for example, that when you record a conversation, at least one party involved has given consent."
With one party consent, the person participating and recording knows it is being recorded so that is the single consent needed. I believe the law you are talking about is a third party recording multiple others who do not know they are being recorded. Like you recording a phone conversation between me and my friend, neither of us knowing you are doing it.
Now, a few states have two party conse
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So, you think the standard case is that the person doing the covert recording is always part of the conversation? Good luck with that and have fun in prison.
Re:Easy way to go to prison (Score:5, Insightful)
> Legal to record in public in USA
It's not so clear-cut. First, what you probably meant to say is "there is no expectation of privacy in public" which is absolutely not the same as "legal to record in public."
First, obviously, you must be in a public space. The moment you enter private property - which includes all businesses and even spaces like most parking lots - you have no right to record there. If a person has "a reasonable expectation of privacy" at a location, even if it's a public space, you generally do not have the right to record them. Many government facilities also have policies that prohibit video recording even if they are technically public spaces.
If your video recording has audio as well, then you may be subject to wiretap laws. If your state is a two party consent state, then all parties involved in the audio recording must be aware of and agree to being recorded, even in a public space, if that conversation can reasonably be assumed to be private. So if we're in a two party consent state, and you engage me on the street and strike up a conversation with me specifically, and try to record it without my permission, congratulations you're doing a crime... likely a felony.
If you are recording for commercial purposes, such as filing a movie or tiktok video, you may be required to have every person in that recording sign a release giving you permission to use their likeness.
And of course, nobody who plans to record video for honest and upstanding purposes should be worried about hiding the fact they are recording to begin with. The only reason to do this is to be a little shit about it.
=Smidge=
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Thanks for the heads up. I almost wore my new glasses, tie clip, name badge, hat band, and smiley face button on my way to the parking lot. It would have been a huge waste of time since the ship has already sailed.
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Since this is secret recording, ever heard of chilling effects?
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Add on to that this is covert recording.
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Legal to do covert, hidden recording? I doubt that.
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Happens all the time in the US my friend...please do research this, it isn't like in EU.
Many if not most states in the US have the one party consent laws....so if one person in the conversation knows it's being recorded, no problem.
How do you think all these undercover news stories and blogs get these undercover footage and audio to back up their stories of corruption, etc?
Anyone can do this...and no, there is not a "special carve out" for being a news
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Actually, it is not without consent. See 18 U.S.C. 2511. If you record openly, you can assume implicit consent, but this is about recording covertly and hence no such protection applies. Yes, the US is really draconian in this regard.
[Movie trailer voice] (Score:2)
In a World where electrical tape and black markers don't exist ...
More to the point, a permanent alteration seems dumb, especially if you ever want a working light or want to resell them.
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Nail polish is even easier and more effective. And as a bonus you can do thinner layers for when you want some visibility still.
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Nail polish is even easier and more effective. And as a bonus you can do thinner layers for when you want some visibility still.
Black wax.
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But...who would pay $100 for electrical tape or black markers? I mean, that's the real goal here, the $100!
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In a World where electrical tape and black markers don't exist ...
RTFA, or in this case, WTFV.
If you block the recording light with tape or a similar solution, the gadget can identify it and prevent it to start recording.
But somehow if you drill a hole just enough to damage the LED, apply some resin to it and let it dry, it records video normally without the light.
Maybe there's a light detector behind that LED that just detects if there's enough exterior light coming in... if you damage just the LED but not the light detector, it doesn't block the recording function.
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Actually, LEDs can be used as light sensors. But that seems not to be what is happening here and you have a good point. The problem with sabotaging the light is that this thing becomes a covert listening device and these are illegal to operate all around the globe, unless you have special legal permission. In some countries, even only owning or selling them is illegal as well. Hence the makers of this device seem to have made sure it is it not easy to turn it into a covert listening device because they coul
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In some countries, even only owning or selling them is illegal as well.
Just about everyone in a modern society is walking around with a covert listening device in their pocket: their phone. Just start the voice memo app running and stick it back in your pocket. Or just hold it in your hand. Nobody questions someone having their phone out.
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No. A hidden obvious surveillance device is not a covert listening device. Also, turning it on in the wrong circumstances can land you in prison. For up to 5 years in the US.
good (Score:2, Insightful)
Glass holes (Score:2)
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I was thinking of getting a dash cam for my car. But i call these people glass holes. Would that make me a dash hole?
No.
Re:Glass holes (Score:5, Insightful)
>"I was thinking of getting a dash cam for my car. But i call these people glass holes. Would that make me a dash hole? It is not really that different, the dash cam does not notify it is recording either."
I, indeed, would call people going around recording everyone from a face advantage "glass holes".
No, a dashcam or fixed security camera is not at all the same. A glass hole is a person who is recording people face-to-face without the other knowing. In such a situation, you are recording a conversation/interaction and often in a place that is not fully "public". It is a major betrayal of a social norm/social contract.
I don't know about you, but I do expect I might be recorded outside driving a car, in a store, even a restaurant. They might be brief interactions, rarely focused directly on just me, and rarely with audio. I do not expect to be directly recorded by someone in my home, at the table in a restaurant, in a doctor's exam room, in a bathroom, during a business meeting, etc.
In a situation where it is not socially acceptable to hold your phone up to someone in a "I am recording you" posture, it is certainly less acceptable to be doing it with a head-mounted camera/microphone... and even less so if there is zero indication it is a recording device and is actually doing so at the time.
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Would that make me a dash hole
No. The average dash cam records to an SD card, the footage untouched until you need it in case of an accident, or for uploading amusing content to YT. Glassholes don't just record, they stream. To their own channel, and/or to the Meta mothership, for god knows what purpose. That footage is going to be analyzed, AI-ized and monetized 6 ways from Sunday.
Re: Glass holes (Score:2)
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I think context is what matters here.
Likely, your dashcam will rotate videos after say a week or a fortnight. You won't even bother to look at any of those videos unless you witness something dangerous.
The glassholes aren't doing that. They very much are personally looking at all the video they collect. What's more, it seems a pretty sizeable proportion of them are then putting those videos on youtube (and others), aiming that content at certain demographics who aren't necessarily so careful about privacy a
Gaslighting much? (Score:1)
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"it is against Meta's Terms of Service, and could void your warranty"
Apparently so.
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This creates a covert listening device, which a crime to operate it in many places and a crime to own in some. That includes the US under 18 U.S.C. 2511. But rest easy, the maximum penalty is only 5 years in federal prison and a $250'000 fine. Nothing to worry about.
In actual reality, Meta does not want to get sued because some dumb fuck managed to get themselves imprisoned or fined, so they made it somewhat hard to make this thing illegal to use.
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You are missing a nuance here in the Federal law.
This is with reference to INTERCEPTING conversation / communication. Federally, it is considered a one-party consent rule situation....as long as one person in the conversation knows, it's ok..
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Always funny how dumb Americans are deep in delusion about the freedoms they have. Because your hallucination there would mean you have to be an active part of any conversation around you. No, just standing around does not make you a part of a conversation going on in the vicinity and does not make you capable of giving relevant consent.
Also funny how these claims to imaginary freedoms always come from US people that want to do some crappy thing that decent people would not be doing in the first place.
I can list an empty root beer can for $100 (Score:3)
Just because there are FB marketplace listings offering to remove the flashing LED from smart glasses, that doesn't necessarily mean there's a huge market for such services. It reminds me of how a few years ago, a kid made a troll post on some drug forum about Jenkem, and without doing any checking whatsoever to see if there really was any legitimacy to the claims that kids were getting high on fermented human feces, several news outlets just ran with it.
Now, I'm sure there certainly are people who've taken a sharpie or some electrical tape to their glasses to cover up the LED, but they probably didn't pay someone to do it for them.
There is a Technical Fix but Requires Legislation (Score:2)
Because although the smart glass makers could build it in themselves, they won't unless forced to.
Have the light send a coded pulse that is based on time and a unique key, like with authenticator apps. Before the glass will record anything you have to look at a mirror. If the camera detected the coded signal it will record, otherwise it won't (so no light blocking). During the day anytime it gets an image of the wearer in a reflection if the coded light is not detected it turns off (think random glass surfa
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This is already regulated. For example, in the US 18 U.S.C. 2511 seems to apply. It means if you record a conversation, you have to get permission from at least one involved party. If you record openly, implicit permission can usually be assumed, but if you record covertly (as this mod allows you to do), that goes away.
As to your proposal, yes, it would be a good idea. But laws generally do not regulate technological details because they are dynamic and may change. What could be regulated is that the make
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The better technical fix is to hack the code so full control is returned to the glasses owner. Full redirect to AI back-end of the users choosing, no ties to Meta whatsoever.
No restrictions should be put on recording, or forcing the alerting those being recorded.
Stricter laws on publishing (Score:2)
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>You can't really stop people from recording in public
A punch in the face will do easily.
The form factor is a giveaway (Score:3)
Ultrasonic Jammers (Score:2)
The Business Reform channel on YT reviewed a couple of ultrasonic jammers that kill the audio on these recordings.
$400 for the better one but if you need it maybe that's cheap.
I didn't know about the technology so I was surprised.
The guy who runs the channel would fit in with the dominant privacy culture on this site.
Joker (Score:2)
3... 2... 1... (Score:3)
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I can't imagine the thought process of someone who would go through all the trouble, risk, and expense to do this. If you want videos of naked ladies, there is just about an unlimited supply of consenting adults who provide it free on the internet. The reason people go to a strip club is the in-person experience.
Power = LED ON (Score:2)
This should have been a hack-proof hardware setup to begin with. The LED is connected to camera power. If the camera has power, the LED is ON.
Wow Facebook tries to hide drillbits? (Score:2)
Drill it out and but a black or whatever gem instead.
" Apps have popped up that use Bluetooth to scan for nearby camera glasses."
Rename the glasses as 'BOMB' and have some fun.