Instagram prohibits videos of harassment recorded using Meta glasses.

      Meta is facing a nickname issue. Its Ray-Ban smart glasses have been branded as "pervert glasses." Men have been using them to record women in public, while pranksters ambush retail workers with them. Now, Instagram is attempting to eliminate this behavior. The platform will begin removing videos shot with the glasses that involve harassment, as reported by Business Insider.

      Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, outlined the new policy in an Instagram Story last week, stating, "If you’re posting content that takes advantage of people and harasses them, like many of these pickup line videos, then we’re going to take that content down. We don’t want individuals surreptitiously recording others and harassing them to share on our platform.”

      However, the enforcement of this policy has been minimal. Instagram has suspended at least two accounts of pickup artists, each boasting over a million followers, due to harassment-related content filmed with the glasses. Beyond that, Meta has remained silent, not disclosing how it enforces the policy, what constitutes a violation, or the number of accounts terminated.

      The types of content Meta aims to eliminate are well-known among Instagram users. One category features pranks targeting service workers that escalate into harassment. For instance, one creator sprayed fart-scented spray into a candle at Walmart and then asked employees to smell it.

      Another category involves pickup artists filming women at gyms or on the street, often without the women being aware that they are being recorded. The term “pervert glasses” has spread quickly, and Meta is eager to shed this association.

      Critics argue that the ban only addresses a symptom of the issue. The glasses have a small LED light that activates when recording, but it is easily overlooked outdoors. Users have figured out how to bypass it with tape or by drilling a hole. Meta has since implemented a modification that turns off the camera if someone obstructs the light, but it’s still too early to evaluate its effectiveness.

      In the meantime, a niche market for “jailbreaking” the glasses has emerged. According to Digital Trends, Apple is developing its own glasses with a more prominent ring around the lens, designed to make it more difficult to conceal the fact that recording is occurring.

      The backlash against smart glasses is significant. They have resulted in athletes being disqualified from races and users facing criminal charges. As noted by Gizmodo, New York has prohibited them in courtrooms.

      Meanwhile, there are reports that Meta is considering creating glasses that continuously record everything. The response to the ban has been more one of frustration than thankfulness. Journalist Dave Lee commented, “Tech CEO pledges to catch bolted horse.”

      Removing a video after it’s been recorded does not help the individual who never knew they were being filmed. Additionally, it does nothing for the footage that never makes it to Instagram at all.