Meta's new smart glasses have faced rising criticism in the UK, leading to bans by various organisations including the pub chain Wetherspoons and theatre group ATG. Restaurants, schools, and members' clubs have also prohibited the devices from their premises due to privacy concerns.
There have been reports of women being filmed without their consent, with some footage subsequently uploaded to social media. In one instance, a content creator reportedly demanded a fee for removal of such content. Image-based sexual abuse and cyberflashing contributed to over half of an 11% increase in reported sexual offences in England and Wales in the year to March 2025.
Despite these concerns, ministers have not yet commented on the rollout of these wearable cameras. Meta has invested $80bn in its latest product, which has UK prices starting at £269, and aims for the glasses to become as common as smartphones.