New App Warns You If Someone Nearby Is Wearing Smart Glasses

You know that uneasy feeling when someone nearby seems a little too interested in what you’re doing? Like the person behind you in line who’s “checking their phone” but somehow also staring directly at your snacks, your texts, and possibly your soul?

Well, technology has entered the chat again.

There’s now a new app that can alert you if someone nearby is wearing smart glasses. Yes, the kind that look like normal glasses… but secretly have cameras built in.

So basically, the future has arrived. And it’s wearing eyewear.

The app is called Nearby Glasses, and it’s designed to detect Bluetooth signals coming from certain smart glasses made by companies like Meta and Snap. If the app picks up a signal, it warns you that someone nearby might be rocking a pair of these camera-equipped specs.

Which is helpful if you’re worried someone is secretly filming you while you’re just trying to buy snacks in peace or have a dramatic parking lot conversation.

RELATED: Wearing Glasses Makes You Look Dumber?

Wait… Smart Glasses Are Back?

If this sounds vaguely familiar, that’s because Google Glass tried this whole thing about a decade ago. It crashed and burned faster than a New Year’s gym membership.

But apparently the tech world looked at that failure and thought, “Let’s try again, but sneakier.”

Modern smart glasses can record video and take photos, yet they often look exactly like normal glasses. No blinking lights. No obvious camera lens. Just someone standing there looking like Clark Kent… except possibly livestreaming you eating a donut.

Totally normal.

The App’s Mission

The developer behind Nearby Glasses clearly has some feelings about the technology. He describes smart glasses as:

“An intolerable intrusion, consent-neglecting, horrible tech.”

Which is a pretty spicy review, even by internet standards.

His idea is simple. If these glasses are quietly recording people, the public should at least have a way to know they’re nearby.

So the app constantly scans for Bluetooth signals from certain wearable devices and gives you a heads-up if it finds one.

Think of it like a radar for potential awkward moments.

The Reality Check

Before everyone runs out and downloads it, there are a couple of small details.

First, the app is only available on Android right now. Sorry, iPhone users. For the moment, you’re just going to have to rely on good old-fashioned suspicion and side-eye.

Second, the reviews so far are… let’s say mixed. The app has gotten pretty average ratings on Google Play.

Even the developer admits it can miss devices sometimes. In tech terms, that’s called a “false negative.” In normal terms, that means the glasses could still be there, and the app might shrug and say, “Nope, all clear.”

Which is not exactly comforting.

The Bigger Picture

Whether this app works perfectly or not, it highlights a bigger issue.

Smart glasses are creeping back into the world, and they’re likely going to stir up some serious debates about privacy. Because once cameras become something people can wear on their faces all day, things get weird pretty quickly.

Imagine trying to relax at a patio, and suddenly you’re wondering if someone’s sunglasses are secretly filming your fries.

The future is wild.

So if you see someone wearing glasses and staring at you a little too long, don’t panic.

They might just be thinking about their grocery list.

Or… you might be on someone’s TikTok. 📱👓

Either way, maybe chew your fries a little more gracefully. Just in case.