Instagram prohibits videos of harassment recorded with Meta glasses.

      Meta is facing a nickname issue. Its Ray-Ban smart glasses have gained a derogatory title: “pervert glasses.” Men use them to record women on the street, while pranksters employ them to disrupt store employees. Now, Instagram is attempting to remove the problematic content. The platform plans to delete videos captured with these glasses that are used for harassment, as first reported by Business Insider.

      Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, outlined the new policy in an Instagram Story last week. He stated, “If you’re sharing content that exploits and harasses individuals, such as many of these pickup line videos, we will remove that content. We do not want individuals covertly filming others and harassing them, then sharing that on our platform.”

      So far, enforcement has been minimal. Instagram has taken down at least two pickup-artist accounts, each boasting over a million followers. Meta confirmed that these accounts were banned due to harassing content recorded with the glasses.

      Regarding the types of content Meta aims to eliminate

      Users on Instagram or Reels have likely encountered this kind of content. One category involves pranks targeting service workers that cross into harassment. For instance, a creator sprayed fart spray into a candle at Walmart and then asked staff to smell it.

      Another category consists of pickup artists filming women in gyms or public spaces, often without the women's knowledge that they are being recorded. The label “pervert glasses” is gaining traction, and Meta clearly wishes to avoid it becoming permanent.

      The issue lies with the device itself

      Critics argue that the ban only addresses a symptom of the problem. The glasses feature a small LED that illuminates while recording, but this light can be easily overlooked in outdoor settings. Users quickly discovered how to obstruct it with tape or by drilling a hole. In response, Meta introduced a fix that disables the camera if the light is covered, though its effectiveness remains to be seen.

      In the meantime, a cottage industry emerged around "jailbreaking" the glasses. Apple is reportedly working on its own smart glasses with a brighter ring around the lens, according to Digital Trends, to make covert recording more difficult.

      The broader backlash is significant. Smart glasses have resulted in athletes being disqualified from races and have led to criminal charges for users. Additionally, New York has prohibited them in its courtrooms, as noted by Gizmodo.

      Meanwhile, Meta is said to be considering glasses that record continuously. The response to the ban has been more frustration than appreciation. “Tech CEO pledges to catch bolted horse,” journalist Dave Lee commented.

      Removing a video post-harassment does little for the unsuspecting individual who was filmed, nor does it address videos that are never uploaded to Instagram in the first place.