Secret Video Recording on Smart Glasses Sparks Growing Privacy Concerns Across India

Secret recordings made using smart glasses are causing severe privacy issues and online abuse in India, affecting everyday citizens and student protesters alike. At a Delhi protest this spring, a content creator used Meta smart glasses disguised as normal Wayfarers to secretly film a 38-year-old transfeminine graphic designer named Shubnam. The creator asked why Shubnam was wearing female clothing, and later turned the exchange into a mocking Instagram reel that drew millions of views, transphobic abuse, and AI memes, forcing Shubnam to stop wearing a sari outside their neighborhood. Experts warn that India faces acute privacy risks because covert recording and nonconsensual image sharing are already common. IDC notes that smart glasses are among the fastest-growing wearables in India, and Reliance Jio plans to launch a budget rival under $105 to Meta's $420 glasses. While Meta states its glasses feature an active capture LED light, users and creators have found ways to obscure or disable the indicator. Meanwhile, police in Delhi used Meta smart glasses to film students during June education protests, prompting a Delhi High Court petition by former JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh alleging continuous surveillance and threats sent to parents. Legal experts point out that Indian laws against voyeurism, designed for private spaces, offer limited protection against secret public filming, while social media platforms have up to 36 hours to remove reported content. Janusz Świerczyński, a researcher at Oxford Saïd Business School, notes that tech companies place the burden on bystanders to protect themselves. Sameer Parmar of Meri Trustline adds that weak norms around consent in India leave marginalized groups especially vulnerable to online harassment and nonconsensual digital exposure.