The pub chain has confirmed that customers using Meta smart glasses will be asked to switch off the devices’ camera function before entering any of its more than 800 pubs amid growing privacy concerns
Wetherspoons has brought in a new policy affecting punters wearing Meta smart glasses at its boozers across the UK, citing privacy worries. The pub chain has confirmed that customers sporting Meta smart glasses will be told to turn off the devices’ camera function before stepping foot in any of its more than 800 establishments.
The decision follows mounting fears over the wearable tech, which enables users to secretly snap photos and film videos through built-in cameras. A Wetherspoons spokesperson said the move was taken to safeguard the privacy of both punters and staff.
“Like many hospitality companies, Wetherspoon has CCTV cameras for security reasons, but their use is strictly controlled by data legislation,” the spokesperson said, reports the Express.
“Apart from that, the general code that applies in our pubs, and most pubs, is that you can’t film customers or employees without their permission. Meta glasses seem to breach this code, and common sense, by enabling surreptitious surveillance, so our instinct is to say turn off the cameras.
“This is akin to our efforts to stop audible playing of videos in our pubs, which also invades people’s space.” The policy comes after reports of people, particularly women, being covertly filmed while wearing the smart glasses.
Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses feature cameras alongside functions such as music streaming, phone calls, text messaging and live translation. Prices begin at around £247. Addressing privacy concerns, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri explained that the glasses include a small indicator light to signal when recording is in progress.
“So we can’t stop people from filming other people, but we can try to make sure that that light is on if they are filming,” he stated. “We now actually have the glasses basically stop working if you drill that light out, because we saw that people were trying to drill that light out.”
He further added that Meta removes content that is used to harass individuals or secretly record them. “We don’t want people to be surreptitiously taking videos of other people and harassing them and then posting them on our platform. So we’re trying to fight that every way we can.”
A spokesperson for Meta defended the technology, stating that many customers depend on the glasses for accessibility as well as convenience. “People use our glasses because they’re helpful and let them stay in the moment, from listening to music to live translation or hands-free calls,” the spokesperson commented.
“They also provide critical new technology for people who are low-sighted or hard of hearing and limiting how people can use this technology would be a major step backwards. Naturally some places shouldn’t be filmed at all and that’s reasonable, but rules should be applied consistently.”
The new policy means patrons can still wear Meta smart glasses inside Wetherspoons pubs, but they will be expected to disable the recording function while on the premises.