Who is actually “for” Meta glasses (“pervert glasses”)?

[AccidentallyOnTrend]

I’m not sure if AIBU is the right place for this question, but I am really, desperately curious to know if there is any one out there who thinks that these are a good idea? Or indeed, not a privacy concern for other unconsenting people?

So on that basis:

YABU - what is your actual problem? There’s nothing wrong with them and I have a pair/would buy them
YANBU - legitimate question – I find them creepy AF

Isn't this a double edged sword?
If they can be used by perverts can they not also be used to catch and identify perverts and other miscreants?

I didn't call any person pretty grim, my statement of 'pretty grim' is about the impact of an action.

Your post is a big reactive judgement of a stranger based on a single short sentence. But if posting it has made you feel better, you are welcome .

YANBu it’s ridiculous that it’s down to private businesses to ban these. The government should be taking action but as usual they are totally behind the curve

Nathan Fillion (an actor, think The rookie, Castle, Firefly) was talking about them on his podcast a few weeks back.

His girlfriend is from another country (can't remember what he said, think it was Spain or Italy), and they'd been visiting her family. He said he'd found them really useful for translating when out for a meal etc, and that he'd been able to follow along with the conversation.

I can see that they have their uses, but just like with the Google glasses a few years ago, if I see anyone wearing them, I'm likely to just think "Bellend"

I understand they're extremely useful for anyone with a vision impairment but I'd prefer if they were only available to people with a legitimate need. Preferably without the ability to record at all if it can be removed without hurting the useful functionality.

Anything normalising constant recording in public is awful imo, and it would be exceptionally easy to disguise the light. Just because its legal doesn't mean you aren't a complete arse recording people without their consent. I think the same for people with phones but at least it tends to be obvious if someone's recording with them.

Try it then. Try filming someone with your phone without them noticing. It's almost impossible. And as you pointed out. All the other features people use that are actually helpful, dont need the capability to record video. There are already smartglasses available explicitly built for this. The only reason people choose Meta Glasses is specifically because they want the capability to covertly record. Which is why they have been dubbed "paedo glasses".

All of which can be done with other smart glasses that dont have video recording capability. Why didn't she buy one of those instead?

“Oh they’re fine - a light comes on when they’re recording anyway so you can tell”

Cool. It makes it so much better if I can actually tell someone is being a pervert. They can then perv away. Crack on

Wow lots of opinions to consider! Thanks all - will read all.

Probably because until intense advertising of meta glasses they weren't widely advertised. Also if you're buying tech you tend to buy the most up to date tevh

The birth control pill is widely considered to be one of the most important medical and social advancements of the 20th century. I didn’t know it’s been used for “war and perverts!”

I do think Meta glasses must be very useful for people who are blind or visually impaired.

You’ve clarified that you meant the action rather than the person, but I’m afraid that doesn’t really change the point. Saying someone is “pretty grim for using them” is still a judgement about their choice to use them — and therefore about the person making that choice. You can draw a semantic distinction between judging an action and judging a person, but the implication of your original comment was very clear.
What I find particularly odd is that you’re now accusing me of making a “big reactive judgement” about a stranger based on a single sentence, when your original comment was itself a judgement about a stranger based on their use of a piece of technology. I was actually responding to the unnecessary judgement in your comment, not claiming to know anything about you as a person.
And the irony of telling me that I’m being “reactive” and then adding “if posting it has made you feel better, you are welcome” isn’t lost on me. That’s a fairly patronising little parting shot for someone supposedly trying to have a reasonable discussion.
You’re perfectly entitled to have concerns about the privacy implications of Meta glasses — I do too. But there’s a difference between criticising the technology and calling someone’s use of it “pretty grim”, particularly when there are plenty of legitimate uses beyond filming people. That was my point from the beginning.

Just to repeat - you are misquoting. I can't know if you are doing this deliberately or have just misunderstood the words.

I made no comment about the person carrying out the action. I said something that was done had a negative impact on other people.

It isn't possible for anyone to have a reasonable discussion with someone who misquotes.

Seriously considering getting some to report drivers on their mobile phone, moving road closed signs to drive through roadworks or going through a red light.

I do wonder if they could be huge help for womens safety.
They could film all the pervs and idiot men who harass them and it could be sent directly to the police as evidence!

Don't do this. As annoying as these behaviours are - and dangerous/antisocial - don't ruin your life by becoming some kind of filming vigilante.

Don't be stupid. Drivers who break the law and drive dangerously deserve everything they get.

I already upload to the police via my phone, glasses will mean I can be hands free when I'm carrying shopping. Pedestrians see a lot of dodgy stuff and a lot of us want to make sure it's dealt with.

These glasses are adding to the creeping normalisation of being filmed in public at any time.

It's not just the potential sex offenders that will abuse them, it's bullies too

Whatever you're doing could potentially be uploaded to a group to belittle and mock you. As an example, a few years ago there were groups uploading photos of women eating in public and the comments on them were just awful bullying nastiness.

People are now policing what they are doing in case they are filmed. These glasses are making that surreptitious filming so much easier.

I get that they are great for those with visual impairments, but why do they need to have a recording function. The downsides of that far exceeds the upsides

Why is that the school's problem....?

It's just men really. Even the ones who don't wear or record on them would watch something that had been. We know most don't care much for knowing about consent when it comes to their porn so I can't imagine this would be different.

They are made for men, the shape and size, let's not kid ourselves.
I can't help but feel most women would use them for exposing perverts at work, or some kind of scandal scenario. Men just want to bond over sexualising and power tripping other people. What a way to progress with all the scientific abilities we have...you really can tell who runs the world and has all of the £. No cure for gender bias in our healthcare systems, but you can make whoever you look at appear naked and record them instantly. Male priorities really show.

I've just remembered my recent "favourite". A driver driving on the footpath around the roadworks and skimming past pedestrians and a mum with a pushchair. More than happy to be a "vigilante".

The difference they can make for people with disability is amazing.

As usual blind and visually impaired people will miss out on something that makes life a lot more accessible, independent and safe for them, because people hate meta glasses.

Most people aren't perverts. Perverts already have many ways to covertly film, big obvious glasses aren't the sneakiest way. I do get the concerns, but I follow a blind man on insta who has been threatened for the heinous crime of trying to make his life easier. Which is very unfair.

If you give them capabilities that attract perverts that visually impaired people do not need, what do you expect though?

There is nothing good about these glasses, IMO.