Dutch retailer pulls Meta glasses as hundreds of women reportedly filmed
Hans Anders joins a growing number of retailers and venues imposing restrictions on Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Image by Habanero Pixel | Shutterstock
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- Hans Anders suspended Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses sales in the Netherlands and Belgium over privacy concerns.
- Dutch reports say hundreds, possibly thousands, of women were secretly filmed with the glasses.
- Meta says the glasses show a blinking light during recording and stop working if the camera is covered.
- Privacy groups and some venues argue the recording signal is too easy to miss.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
One of the largest Dutch eyewear retailers, Hans Anders, has suspended sales of the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses indefinitely in both the Netherlands and Belgium, citing privacy concerns.
The move comes as Meta’s glasses face growing pressure in the Netherlands over claims that they allow people to film others secretly.
"This decision follows the ongoing public and political debate surrounding smart glasses and the questions being raised about the conditions under which this technology can be used," a spokesperson for the Hans Anders chain told Reuters.
Hans Anders is part of nexeye, with around 400 stores across the Netherlands and Belgium and more than 2,000 employees.
NL Times reported on Thursday that “hundreds, maybe even thousands” of Dutch females have been secretly filmed using Meta’s smart glasses in recent months, with footage circulating in Telegram groups.
In Britain, pub chain Wetherspoon has also restricted the use of the glasses in its pubs. Other examples of UK venues making a similar move include Soho House clubs and ATG theatres.
Meta’s glasses have a small LED to signal that recording is happening, but critics argue it’s too easy for others to miss.
A Meta spokesperson said the company continues to improve the glasses.
"Every pair with a camera has a bright light on the front that blinks when you take a photo or video — it can't be turned off, and the camera is disabled if someone covers or tampers with it," they said.
Earlier in September, a Dutch consumer protection group called for a ban on Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, citing privacy concerns and a lack of clear indication that someone is being filmed.
And last week, Bits of Freedom, a Dutch non-profit focused on digital rights and user privacy, turned the tables on Meta by filming employees at one of its offices with the company’s own glasses. Several employees objected to being recorded, and Meta later removed the recording from Instagram “because it deemed it a form of harassment.”
