Meta smartglasses branded 'pervert glasses' as backlash grows over covert filming and surveillance fears

Meta's smartglasses, which can record video while being worn like ordinary spectacles, have faced a fierce public backlash in 2026, with content creators reporting floods of hostile comments and follower losses after using them in public. Self-described pickup artists have used the glasses to film women without their knowledge, and influencer Rida Tharana — who has 1.6 million Instagram followers — publicly apologised for taking part in a Meta promotional campaign after criticising men who use the glasses to 'record and harass women.' The backlash intensified after a Kylie Jenner-endorsed product collaboration drew wide attention, with critics warning that the technology normalises covert surveillance in everyday spaces.