Meta’s Ray-Ban privacy light has become a $100 garage job for people who fancy recording without being noticed.
Technology hackett Joanna Stern says people are disabling the recording light on Meta’s Ray-Ban smartglasses in large numbers.
“By my count, thousands of people. They’re hiring people on Facebook Marketplace to drill out the light for up to $100. According to our reporting, folks are offering this service in at least 30 states — despite Meta’s attempts to stop it… In most states, we found multiple listings. In the New York and New Jersey area alone, there were 23 listings,” Stern said.
Stern watched a bloke in a New Jersey garage disable the light with a drill and dental probe.
He concealed the damage, having learned the trick from YouTube and TikTok videos. The same modder said eight more customers had already contacted him that day.
Stern found at least 10 others in New Jersey willing to do the same thing, but they appear to be found all over the US.
Meta sold seven million smartglasses in 2025, but a company spokesperson insisted most owners are not blocking the recording light.
“We aggressively target anyone advertising tampering tools, have removed thousands of violating ads and Marketplace listings for these services, and pursue legal action when appropriate,” the spokesperson said.
Stern said “many” of the Facebook Marketplace ads vanished after she brought them to Meta’s attention. Meta said it was working with retailers and sellers to remove listings for parts used to tamper with the glasses.
One journalist told Stern they had used the mod to record federal immigration agents without being targeted. Others were rather less noble and said they did not want people asking questions while they were recording.
Tampering with the glasses is not illegal, though it violates Meta’s terms of service and may void the warranty.
Stern said people are starting to fight back with apps that scan Bluetooth for nearby camera glasses.
One app maker wondered why Meta had not offered the same thing itself, since there are technical fixes for some of this creepy nonsense.
