Meta updates smart glasses to stop recording if LED is covered

Meta is rolling out a software update for its smart glasses to close a privacy loophole that allowed users to covertly record video by covering the device's recording indicator light after starting a capture. The update, announced on August 27, 2026, ensures the camera will automatically stop working if the front-facing LED capture light is covered during an active recording.

The move addresses a specific workaround discovered by some users. Previously, the glasses were designed to prevent recording if the LED was blocked before a capture began. However, individuals could bypass this protection by starting a video while the light was visible and then covering it. Alex Himel, Meta's vice president of augmented reality, detailed the fix in a post on Threads. "The camera won't start recording if the LED is blocked, but some people try to bypass this by starting a recording and then covering it up," Himel wrote. "A fix for this is starting to roll out: the camera will now stop working if the light is covered during a recording."

This is the second significant privacy update Meta has issued for its Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, and Meta AI glasses in less than two months. In July 2026,...