US Police Warn of Meta Glasses Recording Inside Facilities

Police forces in the U.S. are alerting each other about the potential use of Meta's camera-equipped glasses for recording inside jails and police facilities, as revealed in memos obtained under freedom of information. The New York Police Department's counterterrorism bureau issued a memo in January, labeling Ray-Ban Meta glasses as a "security and counterintelligence" threat and advising officers to inspect all eyewear allowed into inmate cells. The memo cautioned that covert recordings could reveal sensitive information such as cell layouts and officer routines. One cited video, posted on TikTok in July 2025, showed the interior of a South Carolina detention center under federal investigation, with detainees unaware they were being filmed. Similar warnings have been issued by the Department of Homeland Security and fusion centers in various states, highlighting concerns over AI capabilities in some glasses, including facial recognition. Federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have begun to restrict the use of smart glasses in federal workspaces due to the risk of capturing sensitive information. Meta stated that the glasses are designed to be noticeable, featuring a blinking light during recording, although the effectiveness of this feature is questioned.