Lorde took a firm stand against AI smart glasses during her performance at the Mad Cool Festival in Madrid. She expressed concerns about the increasing difficulty in distinguishing reality in today’s world and advised fans against embracing the technology, calling it unappealing.
Kylie Jenner has also faced criticism for her partnership with Meta to create a line of wearable tech, which includes a camera, hands-free recording features, and an AI assistant resembling her voice. The collaboration has stirred controversy online, with some questioning the ethics of promoting wearable cameras following reports of individuals secretly recording others without consent, particularly women.
Despite the backlash, Jenner continues to promote her collection on social media, highlighting a cat-eye style designed in collaboration with Meta. However, feedback from followers has been mixed, with some praising the launch while others denounce the product as unsettling and out of touch.
Critics have drawn attention to Jenner’s past experiences with paparazzi harassment, contrasting her history with her current endorsement of surveillance technology. Concerns have been raised about the implications of normalizing such devices, especially considering the potential risks and privacy violations associated with their usage.
Advocates like Farrah Khan, a consent educator and gender justice advocate, have emphasized the importance of holding tech companies accountable for the impacts of their products. Khan highlighted the disproportionate harm that surveillance technologies can pose to women and suggested that Jenner’s involvement in promoting such devices may be perceived as a betrayal by her audience.
In response to inquiries, Meta defended its AI glasses’ safety features, emphasizing the presence of a visible indicator light that alerts others when content is being captured. The company underscored its commitment to transparency and user awareness in content creation processes, distinguishing its approach from other devices like mobile phones and action cameras.
Notably, Meta recently faced backlash and subsequently retracted a feature allowing users to generate AI content using public accounts without explicit consent. Concerns raised by industry stakeholders prompted Meta to remove the feature, demonstrating a shift towards greater respect for user consent and privacy considerations.