The creator of Nearby Glasses made the app after reading 404 Media’s coverage of how people are using Meta’s Ray-Bans smartglasses to film people without their knowledge or consent. “I consider it to be a tiny part of resistance against surveillance tech.”
more at: @[email protected]
Wasnt there a ton of outrage and such incl people not being allowed on planes, back when google glass was released?
Why is it all OK now?
Many years of indoctrination. When Google glass was introduced, it was just ‘a neat idea’. Now it’s a product, and therefore it’s clearly more trustworthy because someone is profiting from it. (/s)

You know what sucks?
In that AR glasses, in theory, are such an interesting technology with lots of potential, and certainly a piece of tech I would love to have and work with and on. Not to secretly record people, but to, well… augment my field of view with whatever digital tools or displays I would like. It would be so useful
It’s honestly kinda saddening to me that it most likely will get completely ruined by our current toxic relationship to technology. A step towards our ever increasing cyberdystopia, and not towards enchanting our limited lives
Obviously either way I don’t trust Meta, but an open-hardware device running a FOSS AR system? It would be nice…
I still hold out hope that this somehow could be resolved, and I would love to contribute to open software for these devices. Maybe one day soon-ish I will. My expertise should be well applicable, after all
I’d fork this just to name it more appropriately: “Glasshole radar”
Paywalled article. Here’s the link to the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.pocketpc.nearbyglasses
Edit: it’s licensed under a license I never heard of. I’m curious, I don’t understand why it was needed.
“Why draft new licenses? Until now, there has been no standardization of this kind of source code license, even though it has become increasingly common. This has resulted in confusing and overlapping licenses, which need to be analyzed one at a time. Lack of standardization has used up the time and resources of many in the software industry, as well as their lawyers. The objective of the PolyForm Project is standardization and reduction of costs for developers and users.”
Seems like that exact XKCD about standards.
That license looks like Creative Commons Non-Comercial, which is not an open source license.
This is an unpopular opinion, but using licenses to actively prevent commercial exploitation of voluntary communal labor is not a bad thing. I would even argue that allowing commercial exploitation of free, communally-maintained software is downright unethical. I don’t tolerate this pejorative “it’s not open source unless the rich and powerful can exploit it” bullshit.
I know, and yet the code is open source. Confusing.
That’s called “source available”. FUTO basically did the same thing with their stuff after the community rightfully got angry over their use of “open source” in their docs.
No, the code is available, which is not the same as open source.
They do call it “open source” in the docs though.
True, but I have no issue preventing commercial use. I view that as just as good if not better than traditional open source.
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Yeah I noticed it in the favicon too. Bad aftertaste.
Now if they can just notify you that some asshole is recording you on their cell phone instead of reading reddit. probably 0.001% of people out there stalking are using smart glasses.
Now if they can just notify you that some asshole is recording you on their cell phone instead of reading reddit.
If you’re out in public, always assume you’re on someone’s camera. That isn’t really new either.
Hmm… I wonder if there’s any solid way to detect a camera lens being in active focus or use. This app works by parsing Bluetooth traffic, but a person locally recording on their phone wouldn’t have such a trail. Is there any reliable way to detect a camera lens reading exposed light?
Presumably the sensor’s data lines would be detectable, but probably more like laboratory conditions.
Perhaps a physical shutter would be a good happy medium. Put 'em on the damn cell phones, too.
Shoot, I should 3d print one for mine. I don’t use my camera for much anyway, and better protection from impacts would be nice.
I wonder if you could run it on a dedicated piece of gear like FlockYou…
Admittedly, this is cyberpunk as fuck.
Should not be needed… but it’s a fucking cool solution.
Install this on kali nethunter and make glassholes pay for their crimes.
Would love to know when the iOS app is coming out.
Open season on meta wearers when?
Green light!
It sucks that it seems like as time goes on the best thing my phone will be good for is alerting me to other nearby tech to avoid.
Thanks @[email protected] !
Now you need a powerful laser pointer to ruin the glasses camera. Careful not to blind the wearer.
https://xkcd.com/1251/ (there is always an xkcd about it)
That was way more on point than I expected.
Apparently the lidar in some cars can damage cameras and are safe for eyes.
Removed by mod
why did mods remove this
how is mentioning that cars are dangerous a “call for violence”

deleted by creator
Lmao it’s just BLE radar.
yep, theres a few apps like that nowadays. Bluetooth is VERY vulnerable. At least from my understanding.
Bluetooth is a result of corporate, Microsoft types, giving a list of requirements. It’s honestly amazing it sits on top of the 2.4GHz 802.11 standards.









