Meta is making changes to its privacy policy regarding voice recordings from its Ray-Ban smart glasses. As the company prepares to launch these AI-powered glasses in India, users will no longer have the option to disable voice data collection. Customers were informed of this change through an email, according to a report by The Verge.
Previously, users could choose not to save their voice interactions with Meta’s AI. Now, under this new policy, voice recordings will automatically be saved when using the glasses’ AI features. If users want to delete these recordings, they will need to do it manually in the device’s settings.
In the notification email, Meta stated, "Meta AI with camera use is always enabled on your glasses unless you turn off ‘Hey Meta.’" This means that by default, any voice recordings will be kept to help improve Meta’s AI and other products. While the option to opt out of storing voice recordings has been removed, users can delete their recordings anytime in the Settings.
Along with the changes to voice recording, the glasses’ camera will also be automatically enabled. According to Meta, photos and videos taken with the glasses will be stored locally unless users activate AI features or cloud processing. When they do, the media may be uploaded to Meta’s servers and could be used to enhance their services.
It’s important to note that even though the option to opt out of voice data storage has been taken away, users can still control their data by disabling the "Hey Meta" feature. This will turn off hands-free AI capabilities, limiting the smart glasses to basic camera and audio functions.
First launched globally in September 2023, Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses allow users to issue voice commands, take photos and videos, answer calls, send messages, play music, and access live translations in various languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Italian.
