Hans Anders Halts Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Sales Over Privacy
The Dutch eyewear chain has stopped selling Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses in its Netherlands and Belgium stores, citing privacy questions.
Dutch eyewear retailer Hans Anders has halted sales of Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses indefinitely, pulling the product from both its online shop and its physical stores in the Netherlands and Belgium. The company confirmed the move to Reuters.
Hans Anders is part of the nexeye retail group, which runs more than 400 stores across the Netherlands and Belgium and 776 stores in total. The glasses were not sold in nexeye's stores in Germany, Austria and Sweden.
A spokesperson for Hans Anders told Reuters the decision followed the ongoing public and political debate and questions raised about the conditions under which smart glasses technology can be used.
Privacy pressure builds
Dutch consumer rights group Consumentenbond said this week it will take Meta to court if the company does not amend its smart glasses to comply with privacy laws. The Dutch Data Protection Authority has also warned that photos and video footage of identifiable individuals taken with smart glasses cannot be shared without that person's permission.
According to a report from the NL Times, Meta's smart glasses were used to capture footage of hundreds, maybe thousands, of Dutch women without their consent over the past few months, which was shared on messaging apps such as Telegram.
Meta says every pair with a camera has a bright light on the front that blinks when taking a photo or video, cannot be turned off, and the camera is disabled if it is covered or tampered with. In the UK, Wetherspoons has banned the use of smart glasses in its pubs, and the UK Cinema Association has said movie theaters could introduce smart glasses restrictions to prevent piracy and stop users from livestreaming films to social media platforms.
Quick answers
Why has Hans Anders stopped selling Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses?
A Hans Anders spokesperson told Reuters the decision followed the ongoing public and political debate and questions raised about the conditions under which smart glasses technology can be used.
Where has Hans Anders halted sales?
The halt applies indefinitely to its online and physical stores in the Netherlands and Belgium. The glasses were not sold in nexeye's stores in Germany, Austria and Sweden.
What has Meta said about privacy on the glasses?
Meta says every pair with a camera has a bright light on the front that blinks when taking a photo or video, cannot be turned off, and the camera is disabled if it is covered or tampered with.