Restaurants, pubs and theatres ban Meta's ‘spy glasses' over privacy fears

The article reports growing pushback in the UK against Meta’s AI smart glasses, with restaurants, pubs, private clubs and theatres banning the devices or requiring users to remove or switch them off over privacy concerns. Venues say the glasses’ tiny embedded cameras enable surreptitious filming of customers and staff, despite Meta’s claim that a visible LED light and camera-disable safeguards prevent covert recording. The story highlights a reputational risk for Meta as it tries to mainstream the product through influencer marketing and celebrity promotion, including Kylie Jenner. Meta says sales have tripled over the past year to more than 7 million units worldwide, but the public debate underscores ongoing concerns about consent, surveillance, and content moderation. The market impact on Meta is likely modest in the short term, but the episode adds to broader scrutiny of the company’s hardware ambitions and privacy practices.