The Download: India’s smart glasses menace and AI’s trillion-dollar gamble

Smart glasses, like those made by Meta, are small wearable computers with cameras and screens that record video or take photos from the wearer’s perspective.

In India, these devices are being used to secretly record people without their consent, leading to widespread privacy violations.

For example, a person named Shubnam discovered they were filmed at a protest by someone wearing Meta smart glasses, and the video was shared on Instagram with harmful intent.

The issue is particularly severe in India due to existing problems with unauthorized recording and the spread of manipulated images online.

Beyond personal misuse, smart glasses are also being adopted by police for surveillance, raising concerns about mass monitoring and loss of privacy in public spaces.

The technology’s portability and discreet recording capabilities make it easy to capture unsuspecting individuals, creating new risks for harassment and exploitation.