Wetherspoons pubs will ban customers from filming with Meta smart glasses across more than 800 venues, requiring patrons to disable the devices' recording functions to enter.
The pub chain does not permit recording of customers or employees without consent. A Wetherspoons spokesperson said Meta glasses "seem to breach this code, and common sense, by enabling surreptitious surveillance." The company's stance parallels its efforts to stop audible video playback in its pubs, which it also views as invading personal space.
Meta, in collaboration with Ray-Ban, released the smart glasses in 2023. The eyewear includes audio speakers for calls and music, live translation for more than 20 languages and visual recognition capabilities. Prices start at £359.
Wetherspoons is not the only hospitality group implementing restrictions. Soho House private members' clubs also ask members to remove or disable the glasses if they violate "no filming" rules.
The glasses have drawn public debate over the safety of individuals, particularly women and children, in public spaces. Concerns rose after videos filmed with the devices began appearing online, often without the consent or knowledge of subjects.
Meta has implemented a safeguard: a flashing white light appears when the device is actively recording. The feature has not resolved privacy concerns among the public or venue operators. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, said the platform plans to remove unauthorized content and address the trend.
Meta has also moved to reposition the product around fashion. The company announced a marketing partnership with Kylie Jenner in July. Jenner, who has nearly 400 million Instagram followers, voices a custom Meta AI assistant on the device.
The venue bans present a direct challenge to Meta's hardware adoption strategy. If key recording features are disabled in common public spaces, the utility of the £359 glasses diminishes—and with it the return on Meta's capital allocation to its Reality Labs division.
Meta's stock traded at $601.86, up 1.6 percent on the day.
