A report discovered a Meta patent for new "hardware-level" locking for AI glasses microphones and cameras. The team at Patentlyze highlighted the filing, which describes a "privacy shield" operated entirely by hardware components. Software plays no role in muting/unmuting the microphone or cutting off the camera — a notable shift from how these functions work on a phone.

This "hardware mute circuit" would lock the camera/microphone "atomically," reportedly leaving no room for hackers or other nefarious attackers to activate these sensitive areas without your knowledge. More importantly, "no app, no operating system update, and no remote hack can flip it back on." The "trigger" would need to come from a "verified hardware source" — think a button you press or a switch slid into a locked state. It's a patent, though, so there's no telling if or when we'd see this on the market.

The discovery follows a mandatory patch Meta pushed last month after malicious users covered the LED recording indicator to record people without their knowledge — some even drilling holes to bypass it. Meta states any tampering with the LED light will disable the camera completely.

After backlash over its AI glasses, that update was a step toward restoring user privacy, and Meta seemingly isn't done.