Some Ray-Ban Meta glasses reported recording audio without wearer consent; Meta says bug fixed

Ars Technica reported that some Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses were recording people’s conversations without the wearer knowing, including without users saying “Hey, Meta.” The report cited online user accounts, including a Reddit user who said the behavior occurred across three Meta Ray-Bans and that the Meta AI app saved audio recordings and text transcripts in conversation history.

Android Authority reported the discussions on Tuesday and later published Meta’s response: “This issue has been resolved. People can manage, review, and delete voice logs of their interactions with Meta AI via settings at any time.” Ars Technica reported that Meta has not said what caused the bug or how many devices were affected, and Android Authority said it was unable to replicate the problem before Meta said it fixed it.

Ars Technica said the broader privacy concern remains, noting that even a handful of affected devices is cause for concern and that Meta’s brief statement does little to alleviate worries. The article also referenced prior privacy concerns around smart glasses and reported that a US lawsuit seeking class-action certification and a Texas attorney general investigation followed earlier reporting; it also mentioned proposed legislation in Norway.