A Polish software developer has released an app called Zuckoff that detects when Meta's artificial intelligence glasses are nearby and estimates how far away they are from the user.
Developer Pawel Szydlowski created the app after learning about the backlash against Meta's smart glasses, which have even been banned from courts in England and Wales. Zuckoff gives people a tool to find out when someone near them is wearing the AI-enabled eyewear.
How the app works
The app works by detecting the Bluetooth identifiers, including UUID and manufacturer codes, that the devices emit. These signals act as a fingerprint that lets the app determine whether one of the tech company's wearable devices is nearby.
However, Zuckoff can only pick up the Bluetooth signal that the glasses emit when they are turned on, paired, or removed from their case. Once connected, the glasses may stop sending that signal, meaning the app might fail to detect them if someone connects the device from a distance and then walks closer.
In comments to Business Insider, Szydlowski suggested that Meta, Apple and Google adopt a unified alert protocol similar to the one used for trackers such as AirTags, which notify iPhone users of their presence, as also happens on Android phones.
Devices it can identify
According to the app's listing on the App Store, Zuckoff can identify Meta's Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta models, as well as other eyewear such as Snap Spectacles. It also detects headsets and visors including Meta's Quest and Apple's Vision Pro, along with several other devices listed within the app.
Szydlowski has also launched a Pro version of Zuckoff. For an annual subscription of 9.99 dollars or a one-time payment of 24.99 dollars, it sends background notifications alerting users when glasses are detected nearby.
The app currently has 5,000 users on the App Store. It is only available on iOS for now, with no Android version yet.
Privacy concerns behind the app
The idea behind Zuckoff stems from growing resentment over the privacy implications of Meta's glasses in public spaces. The devices include a built-in camera that has an LED to indicate when it is recording, though some users found ways to tamper with the hardware to hide that recording indicator.
In late August, Meta updated the glasses to close off the ability to bypass the safety measure that disables the camera when the recording LED is covered.
According to Business Insider, Meta confirmed on September 1 that it had blocked cameras on thousands of devices after the update, in order to prevent misuse.
What comes next
Szydlowski said regulators from the European Union have contacted him for more information about how the app works.
