Smart Glasses Are Turning Workplaces Into a Surveillance Problem

Smart glasses were supposed to be a convenience tool. A quick way to capture a moment hands-free or check a notification. But for a growing number of retail workers, they have become something else entirely: a source of harassment.

Toru Hinkle was stocking shelves at a Target store in August when two customers approached. They asked for a price check, then asked again and again. Hinkle eventually realized they were wearing Ray-Ban Meta glasses and recording the whole thing.

The men kept antagonizing the staff. They deliberately misgendered Hinkle and a female manager. At one point, Hinkle tried to stop the recording by saying “Meta, stop recording” out loud. The customers pretended not to understand the accusation.

The whole exchange left Hinkle shaken. “I felt like this pit in my stomach just started to build up,” Hinkle told The Verge. The incident was later turned into content for social media. Another customer called the police, and the two men were escorted out.

This is not an isolated case. Public-facing workers are being filmed, harassed, and creeped out by AI-powered smart glasses. The devices look almost identical to normal eyewear, which makes it hard to tell when someone is recording.

Meta sells the Ray-Ban glasses as a way to capture life hands-free. But there is a clear tension with privacy. A small blinking light is supposed to signal recording, yet many people never notice it.

Workers are not the only concern. The company has also been pushing its AI tools further into daily life. Meta recently launched a native Mac app for its AI assistant, expanding its reach across devices.

Policymakers have not kept up with the technology. There are few clear rules about when and where smart glasses can record. That leaves workers with little protection when a customer turns a routine shift into content.

Read the full report at The Verge.