‘All technology comes with the same basic expectation: people should behave responsibly’ — Meta responds to Ray-Ban smart glasses misuse, as Pennsylvania proposes new safety laws

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania want new smart glasses rulesA proposed bill would mandate that glasses display when they are recording video or audioThis comes after reports that modders are disabling this feature on Meta Ray-Bans for a priceLast week, I covered reports of, let’s face it, creeps who have been modifying their smart glasses (typically Meta Ray-Bans) to secretly record video and snap photos — by disabling the safety light that flashes when the glasses’ camera is in use. Now, Pennsylvania lawmakers want to make private recording with smart glasses a crime.Representative Joe Ciresi (D-Montgomery), has introduced a bill that would require smart glasses made, sold or used in his state to display a visual indicator (like a light) when the device is recording — though his bill would go beyond video and to audio as well.Calling the bill’s rules “common-sense privacy safeguards” to prevent the “misuse of emerging technologies.” It would also require device makers to prevent users from disabling the visual indicator.

(Image credit: Meta)While Meta has yet to respond to this new proposed bill, a spokesperson did get back to us after my last story, saying, "All technology — whether it's cameras, smartphones, or AI glasses — comes with the same basic expectation: people should behave responsibly and not misuse it.”Adding “We aggressively target anyone advertising tampering tools, have removed thousands of violating ads and Marketplace listings for these services, and pursue legal action when appropriate," in response to questions about modification services being sold and advertised through Meta’s own Facebook Marketplace platform.Meta also explained that its teams are working on evolving its measures — so hopefully it’ll find a way to counter the techniques modders have developed to disable the smart glasses' safety light.The best outcome?This new bill is one I’m expecting we’ll see echoed across the States and in other regions because it feels like common sense.Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.