Meta Ray-Ban smartglasses sell 7m pairs amid privacy fears

Meta’s Ray-Ban smartglasses sold more than 7 million pairs in 2025, a report stated on August 6, 2026, as the devices ignited a debate over their benefits and risks. Users praise the glasses for hands-free photography and accessibility, but critics warn of nonconsensual recording and data misuse.

Servaas, a tech enthusiast from The Hague, wears his glasses daily to capture walks and bike rides. “It’s an immersive experience,” he said. He was once stopped by security at a government event over recording fears, but he dismissed the concern: “It’s not like I’m spying.” Reports that Meta workers in Kenya viewed private footage did not worry him because he records only outdoors.

For Nikki, 59, of Devon, who has been blind since birth, the glasses are a “real gamechanger.” She received them as a Christmas present in 2024 and uses the AI to describe her surroundings. On one walk to the village shop, the glasses told her a van was unloading scaffolding ahead. She fears public backlash could restrict the technology for those who need it, comparing the glasses to dashcams and doorbell cameras.

Karen Walter, 84, of San Diego, bought the glasses for live captions to help with severe hearing loss. They worked well in a quiet store demonstration but failed in group settings with background noise, she said.

Kiki, from the West Midlands, avoids people wearing the glasses, uneasy about the discreet camera. “If you try to take a picture with your phone, at least it’s pretty obvious,” she said. She believes regulations have not kept pace with the technology.

Pete, 44, of Northampton, distrusts where data from AI wearables ends up, though he sees potential benefits for disabled users. Stronger safeguards are needed, he said, before the devices become commonplace.