A new app alerts you if someone nearby is wearing smart glasses

The article discusses a new Android app called Nearby Glasses, developed by Yves Jeanrenaud, designed to detect and alert users when someone nearby is wearing smart glasses or other always-recording wearable devices. These devices, often indistinguishable from regular eyewear, raise privacy concerns as they can record people without their consent. The app works by scanning for Bluetooth signals emitted by devices from manufacturers like Meta (and Oakley) and Snap, alerting users when such signals are detected. Users can also add custom Bluetooth identifiers to broaden the detection range to other devices. Jeanrenaud was motivated to create the app after learning about the privacy issues surrounding wearable surveillance technology, particularly following Meta’s decision to include always-on recording features in its smart glasses. While the app may produce false positives—such as confusing virtual reality headsets for smart glasses—these devices are generally more noticeable. In practical tests, the app successfully detected nearby Apple devices when configured with their Bluetooth identifiers, demonstrating its functionality. Although there is interest