A woman said a man recorded a conversation with her using smartglasses without her consent and later posted the video online, where it received more than 40,000 views.
According to a BBC report, the woman discovered the video after a friend sent it to her. She later contacted the person who uploaded the footage and asked for it to be removed.
The creator allegedly responded by saying he would remove the content only if she paid for it. The BBC published the email exchange but did not disclose the amount requested.
The woman, identified under the pseudonym Alice, said she felt humiliated by the video and was unaware she was being recorded during the interaction.
The footage is believed to belong to the “pick up artist” content category, where men record interactions with women and present them online as dating advice for other men.
In the email, the unnamed man said his content “fully complies with the law and platform’s guidelines.” He added that when people prefer content removal, he “usually offers the option of removal as a paid service.”
When contacted by the BBC, the man declined an interview. He said his videos were intended to feature “light-hearted, respectful interactions.” He also denied demanding payment for removal and said his email wording caused a misunderstanding.
Professor Clare McGlynn, a law researcher at Durham University, told the BBC the case went beyond what she described as “standard blackmail.”
The BBC said it is aware of another woman who experienced a similar situation. Meta reportedly removed the video, while TikTok also took down the content. The related YouTube channel is no longer active.
If the man used Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, the device can record video clips lasting up to three minutes and includes an LED indicator designed to alert nearby people when recording is active. However, the report noted there are ways to bypass the indicator.
Privacy concerns remain one of the biggest obstacles to broader adoption of smartglasses technology, including issues related to covert recording and how recorded videos are monitored by platforms.
Some companies have avoided adding cameras to their products altogether. Even Realities, for example, does not include cameras in its smartglasses lineup.