One advertisement – two meanings: Meta Glasses were ridiculed in London

The activist group Everyone Hates Elon organized an unusual protest in London, replacing the official advertisement of Meta points with fake posters. The goal of the project is to draw public attention to the risks of using wearable devices with cameras.

Details of the protest

The posters are made in the style of a real Meta marketing campaign and, at first glance, are no different from them. They show Kylie Jenner wearing smart glasses. However, due to the use of lenticular technology (changing the image at different angles), the picture is transformed: bright colors are replaced by gray tones, the celebrity’s facial expression becomes terrifying, and the brand name changes to the slogan “Meta: We are always watching.”

Ideas and sources of inspiration

This promotion is a direct reference to John Carpenter’s film “They Live” (They Live), the plot of which is built around sunglasses that allow you to see the true, often grim face of reality. The group of activists has previously held similar events. So, at the beginning of the month, another fake advertisement was placed in London, which mocked the reception of the device’s recordings and hinted at dubious scenarios for using the glasses.

Reasons for criticism

Everyone Hates Elon’s position is that the technical ability to record people without their explicit consent should not be justified by the desire to advance technology or train AI models. Criticism intensified amid a report from the Financial Times that mentioned Meta’s internal testing: the company is experimenting with glasses capable of continuous video and audio recording of its surroundings.

Answer from Meta

Official representatives of Meta did not comment on this promotion. However, the company actively implements measures to protect privacy. Yes, the function of automatic shutdown of the cameras when attempts to interfere with the recording LED indicator is detected. Meta continues to insist that working on security and user trust in the smartglasses ecosystem is a priority. According to market data, shipments of smart wearable devices increased by 54%.

Should we be afraid of Meta gadgets

The issue of data security in the era of II-devices remains debatable. While the company promises further improvements in privacy technology, activists point out that buying smart gadgets with cameras implies an unspoken contract with the manufacturer, the terms of which are often kept in the shadows. Users are encouraged to monitor firmware updates and brand privacy policies.