Meta is closing a loophole that allowed people to record with their smart glasses' light covered

Meta is rolling out a new software update for its smart glasses that stops recording if the wearer covers the device’s LED indicator light while a video is being captured. The change closes a loophole that had been widely shared in online tutorials, where users would start a recording and then physically block the light to avoid detection. According to Alex Himel, Meta’s vice president of AR, the camera will now halt operation if the light is covered during an active recording.

This marks the second privacy-related update from Meta in less than two months. Last month, the company said it would disable the cameras on its glasses if it detected that the recording light had been physically damaged. The new fix specifically targets the workaround of covering the LED after the recording has already begun, a tactic that had been highlighted repeatedly as a way to bypass the product’s privacy safeguards.

The updates come as Meta tries to manage a growing backlash over its smart glasses, which some people have used to covertly film and harass others in public settings. Instagram has also banned accounts associated with such videos, but the company has not yet eliminated all methods people use to record surreptitiously. There is also an active market for inexpensive accessories that can hide the recording light without triggering detection, as Engadget recently reported.

Himel said in a post on Threads that Meta plans to keep releasing similar updates to ensure the capture LED reliably alerts bystanders when photos or videos are being taken for someone’s gallery. He noted that only a small minority of users attempt to circumvent these protections and that the effort required to do so indicates the measures are having an effect. The company has not detailed any further specific privacy features it intends to add beyond these ongoing updates.

For US consumers, the issue touches on growing concerns about surveillance in public spaces, as wearable technology becomes more common. Meta’s glasses, sold through its own channels and available to American buyers, have come under scrutiny for enabling unwanted recording without clear consent. The company’s response has been to tighten the software rather than alter the hardware design, which keeps the existing product selling while addressing some of the most visible abuse cases.

While this update addresses the specific loophole of covering the LED mid-recording, it does not appear to stop all potential bypass methods, including the third-party accessories that can obscure the light from the start. Meta has not confirmed whether those accessories are affected by the new software, and the company has not outlined a timeline for further privacy patches. The statement from Himel suggests that additional fixes are under consideration, but no specifics have been announced.

More gadget news from TechManNews.