In a recent investigation, Belgian broadcaster RTBF uncovered cases of women in Brussels who said they were secretly filmed by men wearing Meta's "smart" Ray-Bans, often during unsolicited interactions in the streets.
Some of the footage was allegedly intended for social media content linked to so-called dating or "seduction" coaching businesses.
Meta's smart glasses feature an almost invisible camera in the frames, small speakers in the arms, and, in the latest version, lenses that can display information to the wearer. This practicality has reportedly allowed some men in Brussels to secretly record women in public spaces.
Among those interviewed by the broadcaster was a freelance journalist who also works in a Brussels café. She recounted an encounter with a man who approached her while she was closing a terrace late one evening.
The woman became suspicious after noticing the man repeatedly touching the frame of his glasses during what she described as an unusual conversation. She later suspected that she may have been filmed without her consent.
RTBF also spoke to another young woman who said she was approached in central Brussels by a man wearing similar glasses. According to her account, the man only revealed at the end of their interaction that he had allegedly been recording the conversation.
He reportedly told her the footage was intended for social media content promoting dating advice and offered her a consent form to sign afterwards. The young woman declined and later requested that any recordings be deleted.
A small LED light is designed to indicate when recording is taking place, but RTBF's investigators found that tutorials explaining how to conceal the indicator are abundant and easily accessible online.
Booming sales
These connected wearables are being promoted as a practical tool for content creators, vloggers, globetrotters, and most importantly, as an aid for people with visual impairments.
In 2025 alone, French-Italian company EssilorLuxottica sold around 7 million pairs of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, three times as many as in the previous two years combined, according to their annual sales report.
Experts across Europe are now warning that the same devices can be used to record strangers without their consent, breaching the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Belgian Minister for Digital Affairs, Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés), has called for a broader European discussion of the risks posed by these smart devices and similar technologies that can record or identify individuals in public spaces.
According to RTBF's report, the debate goes further than simple video recording. Future versions of smart glasses might incorporate powerful AI tools capable of recognising objects, interpreting surroundings and interacting with users in real time.
Vanessa Matz. Credit: Belga
Belgian law on privacy
Under Belgian and European law, recording and publishing identifiable images of individuals generally requires consent, particularly when a person is the main subject of the footage rather than part of a crowd.
Legal experts consulted by RTBF explained that filming someone first and seeking permission afterwards could create significant legal problems unless a legitimate public-interest justification exists.
The issue has already surfaced elsewhere in Europe. RTBF reported that a dating coach in Spain was arrested after allegedly filming women using Meta glasses without informing them.
A BBC investigation also highlighted cases in the UK where footage of women approached in public was shared online alongside personal information, exposing them to online harassment.
For now, no formal complaints related to Meta smart glasses have been filed with Belgium's Data Protection Authority or media regulators, according to RTBF.
When questioned as part of the RTBF investigation, Meta stated: "Unlike smartphones, our glasses are equipped with an LED indicator that lights up as soon as a user captures content, making it clear that the device is recording.
"Our terms of service clearly state that users are required to comply with all applicable laws and to use Ray-Ban Meta glasses safely and respectfully. And as with any recording device, they must not be used to engage in harmful activities such as harassment, privacy violations, or the collection of sensitive information."
