Dutch Eyewear Chain Hans Anders Halts Sale of Meta Glasses, Citing Privacy Concerns
The retailer cited privacy concerns as Dutch regulators and consumer groups pressed Meta to change how the camera-equipped glasses handle recordings.
- On Friday, Dutch eyewear retailer Hans Anders suspended sales of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses in the Netherlands and Belgium, citing "ongoing public and political debate" surrounding the technology's usage conditions.
- Privacy concerns drove the decision, mirroring a broader backlash against camera-equipped eyewear; the Dutch privacy regulator warned last month that videos of identifiable people cannot generally be shared without permission.
- Nexeye, Hans Anders' parent company, operates 776 stores across the region, while Meta defended the product, stating "Every pair with a camera has a bright light on the front that blinks."
- Consumer rights group Consumentenbond threatened legal action this week unless Meta updates the glasses, while Offlimits urged removal until surreptitious recording becomes impossible.
- Despite international pushback, Meta continues developing the glasses; in Britain, pub chain Wetherspoon restricted use, while Meta and Luxottica face a lawsuit alleging unauthorized viewing by human annotators.
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Hans Anders pulls Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses from Dutch and Belgian stores
Hans Anders, one of the largest Dutch eyewear chains, has stopped selling Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses in the Netherlands and Belgium. The chain told Reuters on Friday that privacy concerns were behind the move. Dutch online retailer Wehkamp has also paused sales, Business Insider reported. “This decision follows the ongoing public and political debate surrounding […] This story continues at The Next Web
Dutch eyewear giant becomes first retailer to halt Meta Ray-ban sales — Hans Anders pulls smart glasses from 400 stores due to ‘questions being raised’ about the tech
The eyewear retailer has pulled the smart glasses from stores following growing concerns over the public use of the tech.
The Facebook Group's glasses with built-in cameras and microphones are facing increasing headwinds around the world. Now a major eyewear chain is stopping sales in the Netherlands and Belgium. Here in Denmark, they are still being sold.
Dutch Retailers Pull Meta AI Glasses Amid Covert Filming Fears as Nonprofits Demand a Sales Halt
Hans Anders and Wehkamp have paused sales of Meta AI glasses in the Netherlands following reports of covert filming, while regulators weigh privacy concerns and Meta defends its safeguards.
One of the largest eyewear retailers in the Netherlands has suspended sales of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in the country and Belgium.
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