PhonAndroid Europe wants to prevent connected Ray-Ban from filming you without your knowledge

Facebook and Ray Ban have just launched Ray Ban stories, connected glasses that can take photos and record videos using two sensors. A small LED, located on the mount, is present to indicate to other people that they are being filmed. Only for the Irish data Protection Constable, this LED is far too discreet to effectively warn people.

In 2019, Facebook and Ray-Ban announced a new partnership. The social network and the leader of sunglasses join forces to develop a pair of connected glasses. Almost three years later, these Ray-Ban stories have finally arrived in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy and Ireland at a price of $299.

These connected glasses are capable of taking photos and recording 30-second videos using two 5 MP sensors. To trigger the shooting, just press a button located on the right branch of the glasses. In addition, they carry open loudspeakers and three microphones, used, inter alia, to listen to music and make / pick up telephone calls. In addition, they are accompanied by an application called Facebook view, which allows users to edit and share filmed content with glasses.

And, as you might expect, glasses capable of filming anyone at any time pose serious privacy and confidentiality issues. In this regard, Facebook explains that it has incorporated an LED light on the mount that lights up when the user is filming. A light indicator that allows others to know that they are being filmed.

Also to read: Snapchat unveils shows 3, glasses connected with 3D camera at 370 €

The LED is not enough to warn people that they are being filmed

Only, and in the eyes of the Irish data Protection Commission (DPC), Facebook has not proved that this LED is an effective enough way to warn others that they are currently registered by the bearer of Ray Ban stories. Concerns shared with the Italian privacy regulator, the guarantor.

"with these glasses, there is a very small light indicator that turns on when the recording takes place. It has not been demonstrated to the DPC and the guarantor that complete field tests have been carried out by Facebook or Ray-Ban to ensure that the light light is an effective means of notification, "says DPC. In fact, the institution requires Facebook "to confirm and demonstrate that the LED light witness is effective, and to conduct an information campaign to alert the public to how this new consumer product can result in less obvious recording of their images."

For its part, Facebook said it was important to warn people about how Ray-Ban stories work. "we will work with our regulatory partners, including the Irish DPC as the main regulator (ndrl: the European headquarters of Facebook is in Ireland), to help people better understand how this new technology works and what controls they have."

Source: TechRadar