<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/04/kmart-camera-glasses-anko-meta-smartglasses-australia>
"Kmart has sold out of Anko-branded $89 camera glasses across Australia, which
a digital rights expert says presents a “privacy nightmare” as people face
being filmed without their consent.
As of Monday, the clear-lens, black-rimmed glasses, which can capture images
and record high-definition videos, were sold out at Kmart stores across
Australia and online.
The price point at $89 is significantly cheaper than the Meta Ray-Bans that the
Anko brand glasses are styled on, which sell from $337.
The Anko glasses run on HeyCyan software, which allows the wearer to play
music, answer calls, use an AI assistant, and transfer photos and videos from
the device.
The software is used in a range of low-budget camera glasses, from online
retailers including Amazon and Temu. Reddit users report that the software is
sluggish compared with the software in the Meta Ray-Bans.
Meta has faced significant pushback from privacy advocates since launching the
glasses – which some people have dubbed “pervert glasses” – for their ability
to record people in public.
Meta’s glasses have a light on to indicate the wearer is recording but there
have been reports of users covertly recording in public and reports that
moderators employed by Meta review intimate footage from the glasses, including
of people using the toilet and having sex.
The company last month rolled out an update that disables the camera if the LED
light is interfered with, and also reportedly began removing videos from its
platform of wearers using the device to harass strangers in public.
New York courts, the US air force and a hacker convention have all reportedly
banned people from wearing the glasses."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
