The rise of wearable technology has taken a disturbing turn at the University of San Francisco, where a male student is using Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses to record and harass women without their consent.

The USF Office of Public Safety recently sent a campuswide alert about an individual described as wearing Ray-Ban Meta sunglasses, who has been approaching women with unwanted comments and inappropriate dating questions. The perpetrator appears to be documenting these unsolicited interactions and posting them on social media platforms like Instagram under the account “pickuplines.pov”.

These smart glasses, which can record video and audio discreetly, have raised significant privacy concerns. Similar to the notorious Google Glass controversy of 2013-2014, these devices enable individuals to record people without their knowledge, creating potential safety risks.

The unnamed individual’s modus operandi involves approaching women with crude pickup lines like “I love MILFs” or asking for their phone number, all while recording the interaction. When women express disinterest or mention having a boyfriend, he often persists, revealing a deeply problematic approach to interpersonal interactions.

The account has approximately 30 posts and 1,200 followers, suggesting a broader trend of online content that normalizes harassment. Despite women consistently rejecting his advances and expressing clear discomfort, the individual continues to record and share these interactions.

University officials are urging students to report any encounters with this individual to USF Public Safety Dispatch at 415-422-2911. However, the broader issue extends beyond this single case, highlighting systemic problems with social media platforms and wearable technology that can enable predatory behavior.

Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have been slow to address such content, with Meta (Instagram’s parent company) seemingly more focused on engagement metrics than user safety. This approach potentially perpetuates a culture that trivializes women’s boundaries and consent.

As technology continues to evolve, it is crucial for tech companies, social platforms, and educational institutions to develop robust policies that protect individuals from invasive and harassing behaviors enabled by emerging technologies.