October 2nd, 2024

College students used Meta's smart glasses to dox people in real time

Two Harvard students showcased how Meta's smart glasses can be used for real-time doxing by livestreaming and AI facial recognition, raising significant privacy concerns about the technology's misuse.

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College students used Meta's smart glasses to dox people in real time

Two Harvard students have demonstrated a concerning application of Meta's smart glasses, showcasing how they can be used to dox individuals in real time. The project, named I-XRAY, utilizes the glasses' livestreaming capabilities to capture video, which is then processed by an AI program that identifies faces. This information is cross-referenced with public databases to reveal personal details such as names, addresses, and phone numbers. The students, AnhPhu Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio, presented their findings through a video, illustrating the technology's potential to invade privacy by identifying classmates and strangers in public settings. They emphasized that their intention was not to promote misuse but to highlight the current capabilities of existing technology. The demo raises significant privacy concerns, especially given that the Meta glasses resemble regular eyewear, making it difficult for individuals to notice when they are being recorded. Although the glasses include a privacy light that activates during recording, it is often hard to see in bright conditions. Meta has advised users to respect privacy preferences, but the effectiveness of such guidelines remains questionable. The students also provided resources for individuals to opt out of face search databases, acknowledging the challenges of completely erasing one's online presence.

- Harvard students demonstrated real-time doxing using Meta's smart glasses.

- The technology combines livestreaming and AI facial recognition with public databases.

- The project aims to raise awareness about privacy risks associated with smart glasses.

- Meta glasses' design makes it difficult for people to notice when they are being recorded.

- Users are encouraged to take steps to protect their online privacy, though complete erasure is nearly impossible.

Link Icon 4 comments
By @andiareso - 4 months
I watched the video and... well it's crazy how this is finally here! Obviously all the pieces are available to do this, but at near real-time!? Crazy. This is quite literally why I try to reduce any data that could fingerprint me. Random usernames, no profile pictures, limit posting portraits publicly online (myself and others), etc.

This is fantastic engineering work putting it all together. We have made it to the privacy peak.

By @rcarmo - 4 months
The hilarious thing for me was that on a very recent episode of the VergeCast Nilay Patel was saying the killer app for smart glasses was gonna be virtual nametags.

Well, this is certainly one large step towards that.

By @N8works - 4 months
We will all be wearing Venice style masks in public within 3 years.