Meta Smart Glasses Used in New Orleans Attack Raise Privacy and Security Concerns

Meta smart glasses worn by New Orleans attacker have raised privacy concerns

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses at the Meta Store in Burlingame, Calif., on May 4, 2022. David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images file The man who rammed a pickup truck into revelers on New Orleans' Bourbon Street on New Year's Day wore Meta smart glasses when planning and conducting the attack, the FBI said Sunday. While there's no indication that the glasses were essential to the assault, which killed 14 people and wounded dozens more, their use as an aid to carry out a terrorist attack is a disturbing turn for the product, which Meta launched in 2023. Meta smart glasses are the company's incursion into an area where Google and Snap had tried and failed: functional eyeglasses that also provide a lot of features that a smartphone would, including a camera, speaker and an AI assistant that can do things like translate text and search the web for answers to questions. Models retail from $299-$379 on Meta's website. The glasses' frames are licensed through Ray-Ban and the tech is provided by Meta. Ray-Ban didn't respond to a request for comment and Meta declined to share sales numbers, but last year, market research firm IDC estimated that Meta had sold over 730,000 pairs -- a rare success in the tough wearable tech market. In Meta's earnings call in July, CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed that the glasses were "a bigger hit sooner than we expected" and that demand was "still outpacing our ability to build them." The glasses, which allow owners to record everything within their field of vision, have also been heavily criticized for how they may be used to invade people's privacy. The glasses have a small light to indicate to people nearby that they're recording. But last year, to prove it could be done, two Harvard students turned a pair of the glasses into what was effectively a real-time facial recognition tool. Using artificial intelligence, their tool scanned for faces in the wearer's field of vision, searched for online matches, and brought up biographical information about the person almost instantly. IDC has also found that the smart wearable market is dominated by smart watches and ear wear, but smart glasses are expected to slowly increase in sales over the next few years. In a news conference Sunday, Lyonel Myrthil, the special agent in charge of the FBI's New Orleans field office, said that Shamsud-Din Jabbar wore the glasses while staying in a rental home in New Orleans in October, when he scoped out the French Quarter and recorded the area on video. The FBI has published video footage of Bourbon Street that Jabbar recorded with the glasses. "Meta glasses appear to look like regular glasses, but they allow a user to record videos and photos hands-free. They also allow the user to potentially livestream through their video, Myrthil said. "Jabbar was wearing a pair of Meta glasses when he conducted the attack on Bourbon Street, but he did not activate the glasses to livestream his actions that day. The glasses were on the person of Jabbar following him being neutralized by NOPD, and we believe he was wearing them throughout the evening," he said. The 42-year-old attacker died in a shootout with police after he drove his truck into crowds of people. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone told NBC News on Sunday that the company "is in touch with law enforcement on this matter" but declined to comment further. Meta generally complies with court orders to turn over users' information to law enforcement. Sam Hunter, the head of strategic initiatives at the University of Nebraska-Omaha's National Counterterrorism, Innovation, Education and Technology Center, said that Jabbar's purported use of the glasses displays a slight but meaningful escalation in the established tactics of terrorists scoping out a target area before attacking. "It's getting so discreet that it doesn't look weird just riding around on his bike wearing a pair of normal glasses," Hunter said. "They're not cost prohibitive." The footage shot by the Meta glasses also shows areas from a slightly more intuitive angle than a smartphone or helmet-mounted camera would, he said. "From a reconnaissance perspective, you're really getting a sense of the eyeline and eyesight and all the things that you're gonna wanna look out for if you're trying to plan an attack," Hunter said. "It's starting to get more and more into the footage of this is what it actually looks like and feels like when you're in that environment." "I would not be surprised if you see versions of them or folks using them for attack planning in the future, again because they're so discreet in terms of capturing that footage," he said.

What to know about the Meta glasses the New Orleans attacker used to scout the French Quarter

NEW YORK -- The man who drove a truck into a crowd of people in New Orleans on New Year's Day, killing 14, had previously scouted the French Quarter and recorded video with his Meta smart glasses, the FBI said. On Oct. 31, Shamsud-Din Jabbar recorded video with the glasses as he cycled through the French Quarter and plotted the attack, said Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office. Jabbar also wore the glasses, which are capable of livestreaming, during the attack, but did not activate them. A spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, declined to comment. Here's what the glasses are capable of: Meta glasses, made in partnership with Ray-Ban, are frames with a built-in camera, speakers and artificial intelligence that can be controlled with your voice, buttons and some simple gestures. Some functions, such as listening to music or interacting with Meta's AI assistant, require the device to be either paired with a phone or able to access the internet. The wearable does not have a display built into the lens, unlike some past industry attempts at building augmented-reality smart glasses. However, Meta has said it is working on a pair of glasses that will give users a fully holographic experience. One of the glasses' main selling points is the ability to capture images and video using the onboard camera, then upload those files to Instagram or Facebook. You can also livestream, but only to Meta's compatible social platforms. You can also use the glasses to make audio and video calls, message people or listen to music. The camera also allows Meta's AI assistant to see what you're seeing, allowing it to translate text into multiple languages (spoken back to you, or shown on a paired phone app), and answer simple questions, such as searching the nearest landmark to your location. The glasses are largely a hands-free experience so you will be talking to your device -- and it will reply. The glasses currently cannot perform complex tasks that other digital assistants might be able to, like booking you a reservation at a restaurant or giving you turn-by-turn directions while you're on the move. And there's no display in the lens, so there isn't a viewfinder for framing photos or video. There are also visual indicators built into the system that allow bystanders to know when you're shooting video or taking photos. This LED privacy indicator stays on while you use the camera functions. According to Meta, you can't disable this light to be more discreet in your actions.

What to Know About the Meta Glasses the New Orleans Attacker Used to Scout the French Quarter

NEW YORK (AP) -- The man who drove a truck into a crowd of people in New Orleans on New Year's Day, killing 14, had previously scouted the French Quarter and recorded video with his Meta smart glasses, the FBI said. On Oct. 31, Shamsud-Din Jabbar recorded video with the glasses as he cycled through the French Quarter and plotted the attack, said Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office. Jabbar also wore the glasses, which are capable of livestreaming, during the attack, but did not activate them. A spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, declined to comment. Meta glasses, made in partnership with Ray-Ban, are frames with a built-in camera, speakers and artificial intelligence that can be controlled with your voice, buttons and some simple gestures. Some functions, such as listening to music or interacting with Meta's AI assistant, require the device to be either paired with a phone or able to access the internet. The wearable does not have a display built into the lens, unlike some past industry attempts at building augmented-reality smart glasses. However, Meta has said it is working on a pair of glasses that will give users a fully holographic experience. What the glasses can do One of the glasses' main selling points is the ability to capture images and video using the onboard camera, then upload those files to Instagram or Facebook. You can also livestream, but only to Meta's compatible social platforms. You can also use the glasses to make audio and video calls, message people or listen to music. The camera also allows Meta's AI assistant to see what you're seeing, allowing it to translate text into multiple languages (spoken back to you, or shown on a paired phone app), and answer simple questions, such as searching the nearest landmark to your location. The glasses are largely a hands-free experience so you will be talking to your device -- and it will reply. What the glasses can't do The glasses currently cannot perform complex tasks that other digital assistants might be able to, like booking you a reservation at a restaurant or giving you turn-by-turn directions while you're on the move. And there's no display in the lens, so there isn't a viewfinder for framing photos or video. There are also visual indicators built into the system that allow bystanders to know when you're shooting video or taking photos. This LED privacy indicator stays on while you use the camera functions. According to Meta, you can't disable this light to be more discreet in your actions. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

What to know about the Meta glasses the New Orleans attacker used to scout the French Quarter

NEW YORK (AP) -- The man who drove a truck into a crowd of people in New Orleans on New Year's Day, killing 14, had previously scouted the French Quarter and recorded video with his Meta smart glasses, the FBI said. On Oct. 31, Shamsud-Din Jabbar recorded video with the glasses as he cycled through the French Quarter and plotted the attack, said Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office. Jabbar also wore the glasses, which are capable of livestreaming, during the attack, but did not activate them. A spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, declined to comment. Here's what the glasses are capable of: Meta glasses, made in partnership with Ray-Ban, are frames with a built-in camera, speakers and artificial intelligence that can be controlled with your voice, buttons and some simple gestures. Some functions, such as listening to music or interacting with Meta's AI assistant, require the device to be either paired with a phone or able to access the internet. The wearable does not have a display built into the lens, unlike some past industry attempts at building augmented-reality smart glasses. However, Meta has said it is working on a pair of glasses that will give users a fully holographic experience. One of the glasses' main selling points is the ability to capture images and video using the onboard camera, then upload those files to Instagram or Facebook. You can also livestream, but only to Meta's compatible social platforms. You can also use the glasses to make audio and video calls, message people or listen to music. The camera also allows Meta's AI assistant to see what you're seeing, allowing it to translate text into multiple languages (spoken back to you, or shown on a paired phone app), and answer simple questions, such as searching the nearest landmark to your location. The glasses are largely a hands-free experience so you will be talking to your device -- and it will reply. The glasses currently cannot perform complex tasks that other digital assistants might be able to, like booking you a reservation at a restaurant or giving you turn-by-turn directions while you're on the move. And there's no display in the lens, so there isn't a viewfinder for framing photos or video. There are also visual indicators built into the system that allow bystanders to know when you're shooting video or taking photos. This LED privacy indicator stays on while you use the camera functions. According to Meta, you can't disable this light to be more discreet in your actions.

What to know about the Meta smart glasses used by the New Orleans attacker

The man who drove a truck into a crowd of people in New Orleans on New Year's Day, killing 14, had previously scouted the French Quarter and recorded video with his Meta smart glasses, the FBI said. On Oct. 31, Shamsud-Din Jabbar recorded video with the glasses as he cycled through the French Quarter and plotted the attack, said Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office. Jabbar also wore the glasses, which are capable of livestreaming, during the attack, but did not activate them. A spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, declined to comment. Meta glasses, made in partnership with Ray-Ban, are frames with a built-in camera, speakers, and artificial intelligence that can be controlled with your voice, buttons, and some simple gestures. Some functions, such as listening to music or interacting with Meta's AI assistant, require the device to be either paired with a phone or able to access the internet. The wearable does not have a display built into the lens, unlike some past industry attempts at building augmented-reality smart glasses. However, Meta has said it is working on a pair of glasses that will give users a fully holographic experience. One of the glasses' main selling points is the ability to capture images and video using the onboard camera, then upload those files to Instagram or Facebook. You can also livestream, but only to Meta's compatible social platforms. You can also use the glasses to make audio and video calls, message people, or listen to music. The camera also allows Meta's AI assistant to see what you're seeing, allowing it to translate text into multiple languages (spoken back to you, or shown on a paired phone app), and answer simple questions, such as searching the nearest landmark to your location. The glasses are largely a hands-free experience so you will be talking to your device -- and it will reply.

What to know about the Meta glasses the New Orleans attacker wore

The man who drove a truck into a crowd of people in New Orleans on New Year's Day wore Meta glasses to scout the scene in October. A man who killed 14 people in New Orleans on New Year's Day previously scouted the area and recorded video with his Meta smart glasses, the FBI said. Shamsud-Din Jabbar recorded video with the glasses in October as he cycled through the French Quarter and plotted the attack, according to Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office. During the attack, Jabbar drove a pickup truck through a crowd on the city's famous Bourbon Street. The glasses were recovered on Jabbar, investigators said, adding that he was wearing them during the attack but that there was no evidence he was recording. A spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, declined to comment. Meta glasses, made in partnership with Ray-Ban, are frames with a built-in camera, speakers, and artificial intelligence (AI) that can be controlled with your voice, buttons and some simple gestures. Some functions, such as listening to music or interacting with Meta's AI assistant, require the device to be either paired with a phone or able to access the internet. The wearable does not have a display built into the lens, unlike some past industry attempts at building augmented-reality smart glasses. However, Meta has said it is working on a pair of glasses that will give users a fully holographic experience. What the Meta glasses can do One of the glasses' main selling points is the ability to capture images and video using the onboard camera and then upload those files to Instagram or Facebook. People can also livestream but only to Meta's compatible social platforms. They can also use the glasses to make audio and video calls, message people, or listen to music. The camera also allows Meta's AI assistant to see what you're seeing, allowing it to translate text into multiple languages (spoken back to you, or shown on a paired phone app), and answer simple questions, such as searching the nearest landmark to your location. The glasses are largely a hands-free experience so you will be talking to your device and it will reply. What the Meta glasses can't do The glasses currently cannot perform complex tasks that other digital assistants might be able to, like booking you a reservation at a restaurant or giving you turn-by-turn directions while you're on the move. And there's no display in the lens, so there isn't a viewfinder for framing photos or video. There are also visual indicators built into the system that allow bystanders to know when you're shooting video or taking photos. This LED privacy indicator stays on while you use the camera functions. According to Meta, you can't disable this light to be more discreet in your actions.

FBI reveals Meta smart glasses were used to scout New Orleans attack

The FBI has uncovered that the attacker responsible for killing 14 people on New Year's Eve in New Orleans used Meta smart glasses to scout the area before the deadly incident. According to investigators, Shamsud-Din Jabbar visited the Bourbon Street area months before the attack, recording footage while riding a bicycle through the district using the glasses. The footage, which was later revealed by the FBI in a YouTube video, offers a look from the attacker's perspective as he prepared for the tragedy. Before launching his assault, Jabbar also made visits to several gun stores and set explosive devices around the area. Authorities believe he intended to detonate these devices during the attack using a transmitter found in his rented Ford F-150 truck. Despite the danger of the explosives, Jabbar chose the truck as his primary weapon, driving into the crowd before being fatally shot by police after opening fire. Meta's smart glasses, which were developed in collaboration with Ray-Ban, have raised concerns about their potential misuse. The glasses, which retail for $300, can capture photos and videos, as well as interact with AI tools. While Jabbar did not livestream or record the attack itself, the technology played a critical role in his planning. What do you think about the potential risks of smart glasses being used in attacks like this?