Wetherspoons takes stand against Meta smart glasses

The two companies that between them caused most of the rows that ended up on The Jeremy Kyle Show.

The pub chain has banned Meta smart glasses from its pubs.

Meta owns Facebook and also makes these glasses with built-in cameras.

Customers wearing them will be asked to turn off the cameras or leave.

The claim is that the glasses enable 'surreptitious surveillance' and breach the general code that applies in their venues, which is that you cannot film customers or employees without their permission.

I like the idea of the ban.

I would not want there to be any video evidence of me drinking in a Wetherspoons.

I’m not passing judgement on the brand.

Clearly, I wouldn’t claim to be stuck in traffic while I’m actually having some alone time in one, but I wouldn’t want there to be footage anyone could check.

Steve Allen wouldn't want any video evidence of him drinking in a Wetherspoons (Image: Steve Allen)

Meta's defence is that there is a small LED light on the frame that activates when you're recording.

I work in TV studios, and I sometimes can’t spot which camera has the red light.

On glasses, that will be even smaller.

Also, it's an LED.

A small piece of Blu-Tack would cover it.

A bit of nail varnish.

A tiny piece of electrically non-conductive tape.

You might think, “What kind of a sicko would cover up the light?”

Exactly the one you don’t want filming you.

I have been trying to work out why I am so suspicious of the glasses wearers.

After all, we already live in a time where nearly everyone carries a high-quality camera with them.

We could be filmed by anyone, but not in a secret way.

This isn’t the same as the modern obsession with the selfie.

No one wears spy glasses to film themselves.

You’d need to carry a mirror.

And you know they won’t share footage of you looking like a total legend down your local Spoons.

However, if you trip on the snazzy carpet, spill the pints you were carrying over yourself, and faceplant into a gran’s cleavage, you’ll be going viral in no time.

As with all terrifying technological breakthroughs, we can’t put the genie back in the bottle.

It won’t be long before everyone is filming everyone.

It’ll drive me to drink, and at least I know a place where I can do that without being monitored.

• Steve Allen is a comedian, broadcaster, and author. For more from Steve, listen to his podcast ‘Steve N Allen Almost Daily’.