MIT Technology Review reports smart-glasses abuses in India; crackdown may be unlikely

MIT Technology Review reports the case of Shubnam, a 38-year-old transgender graphic designer and educator who was recorded without consent during a protest in Delhi by a creator wearing Meta smart glasses. The edited video reached millions of views and prompted transphobic attacks, memes and reaction videos; since then, Shubnam has stopped wearing a sari outside her neighborhood. Experts warn that similar problems could grow in India, where cyberstalking, sextortion and deepfakes are already widespread.

According to International Data Corporation, smart glasses are among the fastest-growing wearable devices in the country. MIT Technology Review says a crackdown may be unlikely because Indian authorities are also adopting AI surveillance, including facial-recognition systems and smart glasses. Reliance Jio says it plans to launch a competitor later this year for less than $105, compared with $420 for Meta’s latest model in India. Tutorials show how to hide the LED that signals recording; Reliance Jio did not respond to privacy questions.