Privacy Alarm Raised as Meta Confirms Financial Clout in Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Maker

The formal confirmation that Facebook-owner Meta holds at least a 3% stake in EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban, deepens the financial link underpinning the development of the Ray-Ban Meta AI-powered smart glasses and escalates privacy concerns surrounding the devices. While the smart frames have become a sales driver for EssilorLuxottica, allowing wearers to take photos, stream content, and use an AI assistant, these very features are sparking calls for greater oversight from digital rights advocates.

The core issue, as highlighted by a lawyer at European Center for Digital Rights, is the potential for secretive recording and the subsequent use of bystanders’ personal data to train Meta's AI models. The glasses, which use tiny cameras and lenses, offer little control or transparency to the public, as the only notification of recording is a small, easily overlooked indicator light. This combination of powerful surveillance technology and Meta's direct financial and technological influence over the product raises questions about data handling and informed consent, particularly as Meta is not currently seeking a board seat but is free to increase its investment.

As competitors like Google and Apple gear up to enter the market, the ethical and regulatory battle over the privacy implications of these sophisticated, AI-enabled wearables is set to intensify.