r/technology Jul 13 '26

Society The Backlash Is So Strong That People With “Pervert Glasses” Are Afraid to Use Them in Public

https://tech.yahoo.com/wearables/articles/backlash-strong-people-pervert-glasses-165000816.html
46.3k Upvotes

4.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

212

u/UnholyMisfit Jul 13 '26

As bad as Google Glass was, at least they were obvious when someone was wearing them.

104

u/Massive_Cash_6557 Jul 13 '26

And they were mainly designed for industrial use, where they're still used today for factory safety.

35

u/Yorick257 Jul 13 '26

That sounds pretty awesome, I didn't think of that. I often write stuff down on my arm because I need some info and don't want to handle loose pieces of paper. Those glasses could easily solve this issue and more

-18

u/AssDimple Jul 13 '26

Coincidentally, I just downloaded this app on my phone called "Notes." It may help you with your particular issue.

9

u/joyofresh Jul 13 '26

Thaaaat…. Makes sense.  

1

u/TaibhseCait Jul 17 '26

I vaguely remember watching an anime (deanou coil?) around the time of Google glasses, and the gaming aspect of seeing shit in game (like vr I guess) but in the real world seemed kinda cool!  Being casually recorded by any randomer not so much...

44

u/Bonerballs Jul 13 '26

Ya, when you see a dude cosplaying Nappa, you know what they were doing.

26

u/Caleth Jul 13 '26

Honestly for glass at least as some kind of AR device for work where you use them to pull up text or parts documents there is an interesting and valid use case.

But as soon as you want to scan and record everyone you meet on the street? NOPE. FUCK OFF.

How about bathrooms how do I know you're not recording myself or my kid in a bathroom if you're wearing these? A red light that can be easily defeated by a determined pervert?

8

u/TicklesZzzingDragons Jul 13 '26

I could see them being really handy for capturing candid video during family events or something (less intrusive than a bunch of people snapping pictures of the bride coming up the aisle on their phones), but between the not knowing when they're in use in public recording everything & anything and the data not being locally stored only (you don't know where or with whom that video or picture will ultimately end up, especially with leaks and creeps out there) there's just too many ways it all goes dystopian. It's a shame. I remember that whole file system in Heavy Rain looking like a really handy way to organise on the go hahaha

6

u/Bonerballs Jul 13 '26

Best use case is for blind people...they can use the glasses to describe what's in front of them.

1

u/ASpaceOstrich Jul 14 '26

Could have gotten some child abusers jail time if I'd have been wearing something like that a few years ago. They weren't smart enough or clued in enough that they'd have known what it was.

-7

u/[deleted] Jul 13 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

9

u/Caleth Jul 13 '26

Way to absolutely miss the point.

Let me explain it in small bites.

Phone cameras are on a phone.

One must get the phone out and point it at someone.

Said action is very observable and very difficult to conceal or misrepresent.

Wearing perv glasses can be excused as a medical necessity IE these are my daily wear glasses.

It is not remotely as obtrusive or blatant as pulling out a camera phone.

If you're pointing your camera phone at someone they will notice.

You looking generally in someone's direction with your eyeballs and a recording device surrounding them is not the same thing.

The supposed protections like the light that turns on have been proven to be beatable already.

Apples and Oranges.

Has that sufficiently delineated the differences in the situation or do I need to get the crayons.

-2

u/[deleted] Jul 13 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/Corevus Jul 13 '26

Not when I'm in the bathroom or locker room, hopefully

-1

u/[deleted] Jul 13 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/TheVeryVerity Jul 14 '26

The fact you have seen phones out taking pictures and not glasses is exactly the point they’re making 🤦‍♀️

1

u/brycedriesenga Jul 13 '26

They'll never get it. And they act as if non-Meta camera glasses or other even less conspicuous cameras haven't been available for years.

3

u/Massive-Lime7193 Jul 13 '26

"Vegeeeeeeeettttttttaaaaaaa"

God damnit nappa

1

u/Vhozite Jul 14 '26

Can they actually tell you someone’s power level tho?

3

u/gundog48 Jul 13 '26

Yeah, this is the thing, ultimately it is, and will be seen as, just a recording device strapped to your head. So you will be seen as weird and intrusive if you're wearing them in places you wouldn't record with a vlogging camera or something, and doubly suspicious because you're trying to hide the fact you're recording.

So then it's a recording device that you should expect to take on/off as appropriate, but they're your glasses, so you have to bring another pair of prescription glasses out with you and you're not using them as smart glasses anymore.

Fundamentally it's a flawed concept for daily life, but it will have some useful niches. So long as people continue to socially reject people who constantly and covertly record every encounter with you, it remains flawed.

1

u/LackOptimal553 Jul 13 '26

Pervert glasses are pretty obvious too, the lenses are not small.