Dutch eyewear chain Hans Anders halts sale of Meta glasses, citing privacy concerns
META•Hans Anders suspended sales of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses in the Netherlands and Belgium, citing public and political debate over privacy. The chain is one of the first retailers to halt sales of the glasses.
1. Sales suspended
Hans Anders said it had suspended sales of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses in the Netherlands and Belgium. A spokesperson said the decision followed ongoing public and political debate about smart glasses and questions about the conditions under which the technology can be used.
2. Privacy concerns grow
The Dutch privacy regulator AP warned last month that videos made with smart glasses showing identifiable people generally cannot be shared or published without their permission. Consumer rights group Consumentenbond said this week it would take Meta to court unless the company changes the glasses to comply with privacy law. Offlimits urged Meta and EssilorLuxottica to voluntarily remove the glasses from sale until surreptitious recordings can be made impossible.
3. Meta's response
Meta said it is continuing to develop the glasses. A spokesperson said each pair with a camera has a bright light that blinks when taking a photo or video, cannot be turned off, and disables the camera if covered or tampered with.
