Some Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses were recording people’s conversations without the wearer knowing, according to user reports this week. The recordings reportedly happened without the “Hey, Meta” prompt phrase being spoken. Meta says the bug has been fixed.
A Reddit user going by Kindly-Audience-137 said this happened across three pairs of glasses, even with the “Respond without Hey Meta” setting turned off. According to the user, the Meta AI app saved audio recordings and text transcripts of these conversations in the conversation history. The user first noticed the behavior after a recent firmware update.
Android Authority reported the discussions on Tuesday and published Meta’s response, which said the issue has been resolved and that people can manage, review and delete voice logs via settings. Android Authority said it could not replicate the problem before Meta announced the fix.
Important questions remain open. Meta has not said what caused the bug, whether a faulty update was responsible, or how many devices were affected. Ars Technica has asked Meta what it is doing to prevent similar bugs.
Privacy advocates were already worried about smart glasses, partly because their inconspicuous look makes secret recording easier. If you use such devices, review your settings and check your voice logs regularly. If you manage an organization, consider setting clear rules for wearables with microphones.
Read arstechnica.com article for more information.
