Ray-Ban Meta Owners Say Glasses Captured Conversations Without Wake Phrase
A Ray-Ban Meta owner says three pairs captured ordinary conversations without the "Hey Meta" wake phrase, with audio and transcripts appearing in the Meta AI app, according to Android Authority.
The owner said the three pairs spanned second- and third-generation models. The owner also said the glasses' internal notification light sometimes activated during normal conversation, and that the behavior began after a recent firmware update. The account appeared in two Reddit threads.
Android Authority reported that several other owners have described similar unexplained Meta AI activations. The publication said those reports remain limited for now.
The reports revive privacy concerns as AI wearables blur the line between listening, processing, and recording. Smart glasses have always asked people around the wearer to trust a small light that signals capture. Meta has strengthened that safeguard on its Ray-Ban glasses, including blocking cameras when someone tampers with the capture LED.
The new complaints raise a different concern: that the glasses may be listening when they were never asked to. Android Authority's report did not include a response from Meta. The owner's account does not say what triggered the activations or whether Meta has confirmed them.
The existing camera-blocking safeguard addresses visual recording. The owner's claims concern audio and Meta AI activations, which, according to the report, occurred without the wake phrase and despite the relevant setting being turned off. The limited number of reports means the issue is not yet established as widespread.