In response to increasing privacy concerns related to wearable smart glasses, a new Android app named Nearby Glasses has been developed to detect such devices in the vicinity. This app is designed to alert users if smart glasses, particularly those produced by Meta and Snap, are nearby, thereby protecting individuals from being secretly recorded.
The app operates by scanning for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals, utilizing immutable manufacturer company IDs within BLE advertising frames, which remain consistent and cannot be randomized like MAC addresses. This technique helps the app identify smart glasses accurately among other devices.
Developer warnings highlight the possibility of false positives, such as detection of other wearable Meta hardware or VR headsets, and advises against any harassment based on the app’s alerts. The app’s release comes amid incidents where smart glasses have been misused, including cases involving ‘manfluencers’, courtroom disruptions, and assertions about future facial recognition capabilities planned by Meta.
Though currently available only for Android, discussions of an iOS version are ongoing, contingent on the developer’s resources. This app represents a proactive approach to raising awareness and enhancing personal privacy in the growing landscape of wearable surveillance technologies.

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Nearby Glasses is a new Android app that detects smart glasses from Meta and Snap in the vicinity by scanning for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals. It leverages immutable manufacturer company IDs in BLE advertising frames—which unlike MAC addresses cannot be randomized—to accurately identify nearby wearable cameras. The developer warns of potential false positives (e.g., VR headsets) and cautions against harassment based on alerts. An iOS version is under consideration. The app addresses growing privacy concerns around wearable surveillance, including incidents of misuse and Meta's rumored facial recognition plans.

Nearby Glasses: A New Android App to Detect Meta's AI Smart Glasses