Two Danish magazines have stopped a campaign for Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses after heavy criticism on social media. The consumer group Forbrugerrådet Tænk says bystanders cannot tell when the glasses are filming them.
DR reports that criticism of so-called smartglasses is growing in Denmark. The glasses look like ordinary glasses or sunglasses, but they can film, take pictures and play audio.
The fashion magazines Euroman and Eurowoman have dropped further content in a campaign with the optician chain Synoptik for Meta glasses in Ray-Ban frames. Per DR, the magazines wrote on Instagram that the aim was to test the creative possibilities of the product. They said they acknowledge the criticism and, in consultation with Synoptik, chose not to continue.
Individual influencers were also targeted. According to DR, critical comments hit an advertising video from Cecilie Hougaard, who brought Meta glasses to the Smukfest festival, and influencer Sus Wilkens received angry messages. Commenters called the products stalker glasses and surveillance glasses.
Peter Grønlund Holm, a consumer policy adviser at Forbrugerrådet Tænk, told DR’s radio program P1 Morgen that the ethical problem is the uncertainty about when others are recording. He said the light meant to signal recording is not clear enough and can be mistaken for reflections in the frames.
Meta and Synoptik point to the capture light
Forbrugerrådet Tænk says it has received inquiries from worried people and has itself found social media videos that appear to be filmed with smartglasses on streets in Copenhagen. As reported by DR, the suspicion rests partly on the filmer having free hands and the camera sitting at eye level.
In a written reply to DR, Meta said trust is essential for both wearers and the people around them. In a July 2026 FAQ, Meta stated that every pair has a capture LED that blinks during recording, that it cannot be switched off, and that blocking it disables the camera on second-generation glasses and newer.
Synoptik declined an interview but sent written answers. According to DR, the chain said its staff advise customers about the product and the ethical considerations, and that the recording function shuts off if the blinking light is blocked. Synoptik also stated that people should not film or record others without their knowledge and consent.
The chain said it respects the debate about new technology, but distances itself from the personal attacks aimed at its partners. Grønlund Holm said Synoptik cannot be held responsible for selling a legal product, but he wants clearer rules on when the glasses may be used.
DR notes that filming people in public is generally not illegal in Denmark, while publishing such footage is treated differently under the law. The criticism follows international coverage of covert filming. The Guardian described the backlash on August 9, 2026, and BBC reported on a 21-year-old woman who felt violated after appearing in a TikTok post with 1.3 million views.
