Live nowOn the air 24/7Watch live

TechNO BULL

Meta smartglasses accused of recording in 'sleep' mode

Users say Meta's smartglasses may keep recording even in sleep mode, which has revived privacy fears about wearable cameras; the company has to prove they're off.

Photo: Meta Platforms
Photo: InvadingInvader · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

  1. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorUsers of Meta's smartglasses say something weird is going on, because the glasses may still be recording when they're in what the company calls sleep mode.

  2. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorTalking point number one. It's a camera. You wear it on your face.

  3. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorAnd the company that sells it is now surprised that people suspect it of recording.

  4. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorTalking point number two. Sleep mode. Think about that phrase, folks. Sleep mode. Meta has described its privacy team the same way for years.

  5. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorTalking point number three. The only proof that it's asleep is the company telling you it's asleep.

  6. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorAnd this is a company that has asked for your trust before, and it has not gone well.

  7. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIf you're wearing one, you can't check from the inside, and the other people in the room never agreed to be in the footage at all.

  8. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorStill ahead, a runner whose knee hurt less the farther she went. How does that work?

  9. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorMeta says they're asleep. I've seen what Meta does when it's awake.

▶ Watch BBN liveMore Tech →
Aired onNo Bull with HankHank's talking points. You didn't ask.About the show →

From the archive: everything BBN aired on Saturday, October 17, 2026 · the Tech archive · all months