‘Creepy as hell': Aussies are freaked out over the new Meta glasses

News.com.au

a day ago

The future is here and Australians are officially creeped out by it and want it to stop immediately.
Technology is changing faster than the panel on The Project, and Meta Ray-Bans have now been introduced to consumers.
The smart glasses retail for around $450. They allow you to listen to music, film, make calls, and even interact with Meta AI — basically, like wearing a Google Home on your face.
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses launched overseas in 2023 and were first made available in Australia in late 2024.
To use the glasses, all the wearer has to do is say 'Hey Meta' and voice what they want it to do.
So, if you don't mind walking around and looking like you're talking to yourself, this is definitely the piece of technology for you.
Hollywood heavyweights Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt are even doing ads to promote the techy glasses, with Kris Jenner in tow.
Usually, a celebrity endorsement is enough to win people over, but not this time because when news.com.au hit the streets of Sydney, Aussies weren't fussed.
In fact, they were straight-up creeped out and didn't want a bar of the tech-savvy glasses.
Yes, even after Chris Hemsworth gave them his stamp of approval.
Aussies really weren't shy about sharing their horror.
When asked what he thought of the product, one man in a gorgeous red jumper stopped and went straight for the jugular.
'I think it is creepy as hell!' he said.
'I wouldn't buy them for myself and I'd prefer other people didn't buy them,' he added, before sauntering off down the road.
A Gen Zer was a little less rigid in her opinion, she conceded that the glasses were 'cool' and 'had their place' in 2025 …. but ….
'They freak me out,' she admitted.
Similarly, a young man stopped and said he found them a 'pretty weird piece of technology', which isn't exactly a gushing endorsement.
In fact, he said he'd had the displeasure of seeing how young people use these glasses in the wild and, like a Boomer complaining about E-bikes, he didn't look impressed.
'I've seen people around in nightclubs recording people when they're dancing and stuff,' he told news.com.au gravely.
Another trendy young person stopped – you know she's trendy because she was wearing oversized headphones, airpods are out now, in case any old person was wondering – and also admitted she wasn't sold on the technology.
'I think it is creepy. You could have been filming me this whole time and I just wouldn't have known,' she said.
'I think that is kind of scary.'
A man in a vest broke up the negativity by putting his detective skills to the test and arguing the glasses aren't that creepy because you can tell when they're filming you.
'I know you're filming because it is flashing. As long as that flash is there and I'm aware you're recording me, I don't really mind,' he said.
Easy to say when you're young and still have 20/20 vision.
Another Gen Zer didn't share this more relaxed opinion and said she wasn't a 'big fan' of the Meta glasses for one reason.
'I think it breaks a lot of consent about what you can and can't film. Something about having sunglasses on and not always knowing if someone is filming is quite freaky' she argued.
When one woman was asked if she thinks it is a 'different vibe' depending on whether a man or a woman is wearing the glasses, she admitted it does.
'That is loaded! Yes,' she said.
A Gen Zer said she didn't think gender mattered too much when it came to who wore the sunglasses.
'Maybe some guys look at places you aren't really supposed to look at, but still both ways, people can look in the wrong direction,' she pointed out.
Another young woman admitted she'd need to think about the question more, but her initial reaction was …. yes.
'Initially, I'm sort of say like 'yes', but I'd need to think about that a lot more deeply,' she said.