Meta’s Smart Glasses Spark Privacy Panic—And This App Wants to Out Them

By Futurism Staff | February 25, 2026

In an era where wearable tech is becoming increasingly ubiquitous, Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses and their competitors are raising eyebrows—and concerns—among privacy advocates. With facial recognition capabilities on the horizon, a new grassroots solution is emerging to help users identify when they’re being watched.

Enter Yves Jeanrenaud, a sociology and gender studies professor at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich who’s taken matters into his own hands. His creation, Nearby Glasses, is a free and open-source Android app designed to detect smart glasses in your vicinity using Bluetooth signals.

“I was worried from the very beginning when Meta announced they were going to revive the Google Glass idea,” Jeanrenaud told Futurism. “Covert recording is a lot about power.”

The app works by identifying Bluetooth SIG assigned numbers—unique alphanumeric codes that manufacturers must include in their devices. While it won’t pinpoint exact locations or users, it can alert you to the presence of smart glasses within 32-50 feet outdoors and 10-32 feet indoors.

However, the technology isn’t perfect. Since the codes are mapped to manufacturers rather than specific products, users might get false positives from other devices made by the same company. For instance, Meta also produces VR headsets, which could be misidentified as smart glasses.

Despite its limitations, Nearby Glasses represents a fascinating example of grassroots resistance to big tech’s encroachment on privacy. In a world where even basic regulations seem like a fantasy, solutions like this highlight the innovative ways people are fighting back against invasive technology.

As smart glasses continue to flood the market, tools like Nearby Glasses may become essential for those concerned about their privacy in an increasingly connected world. Whether this app will gain widespread adoption remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the battle between surveillance technology and privacy advocates is far from over.

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