Delhi man sends legal notice to Meta over covert recording with smart glasses

A Delhi man has issued a legal notice to Meta and an Instagram content creator, alleging that he was secretly recorded using Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses at a café in Khan Market. He has sought the removal of the video, an apology and ₹2.05 crore in damages.

The alleged incident occurred on July 24, when the man was sitting alone at a café. According to the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), which is representing him pro bono, an Instagram creator approached him and subjected him to unsolicited questions and comments while allegedly recording the interaction without his knowledge using the smart glasses, Maktoob Media reported.

The man reportedly moved to another section of the café to avoid the interaction. The recorded footage was later posted as an Instagram reel on July 26.

IFF said the video had accumulated more than 4.19 lakh views, around 15,700 likes and over 500 comments by August 6, with several users allegedly mocking the man. He reported the reel to Instagram on July 27, but IFF said the platform did not offer a specific option for privacy violations, requiring him to file the complaint under the bullying or harassment category.

Instagram subsequently told him that the video did not breach its Community Standards. A request for another review was also rejected, while a complaint to Meta’s grievance officer in India allegedly received neither an acknowledgement nor a decision.

The legal notice has named Meta not only as Instagram’s parent company but also in its capacity as the manufacturer of the smart glasses. IFF has argued that Meta could bear responsibility for the design and marketing of the device, which resembles conventional spectacles and could therefore allow users to record others without their knowledge.

The notice has particularly questioned the effectiveness of the glasses’ recording indicator. Although Ray-Ban Meta glasses feature a small LED near the temple that illuminates during photo or video capture, IFF has argued that the indicator is too small and easily missed to adequately alert bystanders.

According to IFF, the case could be among the first legal actions in India seeking to hold a smart-glasses manufacturer responsible for alleged privacy harms arising from the design of its product.

The notice contends that Meta had a duty to protect users and bystanders from foreseeable privacy risks and was negligent in relation to the alleged intrusion. It seeks removal of the video, an apology from the creator, preservation and disclosure of relevant evidence, and ₹2.05 crore in compensation. The parties have been given seven days to respond.

The dispute also highlights wider concerns over wearable cameras being used in public places. IFF referred to previous concerns raised by European data-protection authorities and academic studies about whether recording indicators on smart glasses are sufficiently prominent to alert people nearby.

Meta has previously maintained that its AI-powered glasses incorporate privacy safeguards, including a capture LED that flashes whenever a photo or video is being recorded. The company has also stated that the camera is disabled if the LED is covered or damaged.