Dutch eyewear retailer Hans Anders has declared that it will stop selling Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses in the Netherlands and Belgium, driven by mounting privacy concerns. This move comes amid a surge of societal and political debate over the use of smart glasses, particularly models fitted with cameras, which are now encountering increased opposition. In the UK, pub chain Wetherspoon has already banned customers from wearing these glasses, while in the US, Meta and Luxottica are facing lawsuits over the possibility that videos recorded by the glasses may be reviewed by human annotators without the subjects' awareness.

Meta has responded by emphasizing that the glasses are designed with a clearly visible blinking indicator light on the front, which cannot be turned off. Moreover, if this light is blocked or tampered with, the camera will automatically shut down. Earlier, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) had issued warnings against sharing or publishing videos from smart glasses that include identifiable individuals without their consent, although obtaining explicit permission in public settings remains a significant challenge.

The Dutch Consumers' Association has warned of potential legal action if Meta does not adjust the product to meet privacy standards. Additionally, nonprofit organization Offlimits has urged retailers to pull the glasses from their shelves until technical measures are implemented to entirely prevent secret filming. Meanwhile, other stores under Hans Anders' parent company, Nexeye Group, across various countries had never stocked this smart glasses model to begin with.