Wayfarer Stories, the smart glasses being debuted by Facebook and Ray-Ban today, are most notable for just how much they look like a standard pair of

Facebook, Ray-Ban debut picture-taking smart glasses

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2021-09-09 17:00:07

Wayfarer Stories, the smart glasses being debuted by Facebook and Ray-Ban today, are most notable for just how much they look like a standard pair of the brand's sunglasses.

Why it matters: That speaks to both the most promising and troublesome aspect of the $299 glasses: They look and feel just like a standard pair of Ray-Bans while adding the ability to capture photos and video.

Between the lines: Wayfarer Stories pose two big questions: How well they deliver on their promise, and how accepting society will be of people using them in public.

"To some degree, it's more overt than what people are doing with phones," Facebook Reality Labs chief Andrew Bosworth said in an interview.

Yes, but: Those clues are subtle. While noticeable in a small group setting, the gestures and lights are easy to miss in larger gatherings. While Facebook offers tips on respectful use of the camera feature, there is certainly the potential for images to be captured and shared non-consensually.

"You put these out in the wild and people are going to use them the way they are going to use them," said John Breyault, VP of public policy for the National Consumers League, one of several privacy and advocacy groups that Facebook consulted with as Wayfarer Stories were being developed.