Meta is shutting down a recording trick on its smart glasses: cover the capture light mid-clip and the camera now stops on the spot. AR vice president Alex Himel detailed the fix on Threads, where he acknowledged that tutorials for the workaround had been circulating online for some time.

Under the new behavior, the camera halts the moment the light is obscured after a recording has begun. Previously the glasses only refused to start filming when the LED was blocked from the outset, leaving a window open for covert capture.

The move follows a July update that disabled cameras on glasses whose LED had been physically damaged. Together they form Meta’s response to growing criticism over secret filming and harassment, a saga that has already seen Instagram purge accounts tied to creepy content. Cheap bypass accessories still circulate online.

Alongside the software change, Meta is putting money into teaching people what the LED means. A billboard now up in Los Angeles shows the glasses with the indicator glowing, carries the line that the hardware is meant for everyone and not just the people wearing it, and points to a dedicated privacy page. Company representatives say similar ads will reach more cities.

Himel promises further privacy work, with the goal of making the LED a trustworthy signal that capture is happening.

Source: Engadget