Tech events face growing pressure to ban Meta AI Glasses, with over 7m pairs sold in 2025 alone. Critics label them "pervert glasses" after reports of covert recording, particularly of women without consent. An activist group, Everyone Hates Elon, created a mock ad featuring Jeffrey Epstein, while a UK petition has gathered thousands of signatures.

UK cinemas and Wetherspoons have implemented bans. Defcon in Las Vegas has already prohibited them, citing security concerns over data capture and hackability, according to Madeline Lawrence, cofounder of Aikido Security. However, other conferences resist blanket bans.

Tech BBQ in Copenhagen, represented by Keyvan Thomsen Bamdej, argues the issue is behavior, not the device, noting smartphones pose equal risk. Their code of conduct covers all recording devices. Bamdej also warns bans could exclude visually impaired users who rely on the glasses.

Human X in Amsterdam, led by Stefan Weitz, compares a ban to prohibiting smartphones in 2008, preferring to establish norms. Meanwhile, Rebase in Dublin, organized by Eamon Leonard of Baseline, will effectively ban the specs to preserve Chatham House-style discussions.