Nearby Glasses: New Android App Detects Smart Glasses via Bluetooth Scanning

A Privacy Tool Against Wearable Surveillance

A new open-source Android application called Nearby Glasses has been released, designed to detect smart glasses in the user's vicinity. The app works by scanning for unique Bluetooth identifiers emitted by nearby devices and sends a notification whenever a matching signal is found.

Currently, Nearby Glasses can identify products from Meta (Oakley) and Snap. Users also have the option to manually add custom Bluetooth keys to expand the list of detectable devices.

Why This Matters

Smart glasses equipped with cameras have sparked growing privacy concerns due to their potential for covert recording and facial recognition. While some models include a small LED indicator that lights up during recording, this feature can be disabled — making surveillance virtually undetectable. As major tech companies from Meta to Alibaba continue rolling out new smart glasses models, the question of privacy in public spaces is becoming increasingly pressing.

Tools like Nearby Glasses represent an emerging category of consumer-level countermeasures against wearable surveillance technology, giving ordinary people a way to be aware of potential recording devices in their surroundings.

The Developer's Stance

Yves Jeanrenaud, the creator of Nearby Glasses, described smart glasses on the project's GitHub page as "an unbearable invasion of privacy, a disregard for the will of others, and a terrible technological invention."

According to Jeanrenaud, fourth-generation smart glasses have already been used for instant facial recognition, and this capability is reportedly set to be available in the fifth generation as well. He believes this puts a large number of people at risk.

In an interview with 404 Media, the developer explained that reports of covert surveillance using smart glasses motivated him to build the app. Specifically, such devices had been used during immigration raids in the United States and for filming and blackmailing sex workers.

"Obviously, surveillance technologies are not only used for selfish purposes by government thugs but also contribute to misogynistic behavior and rape culture" — Yves Jeanrenaud, creator of Nearby Glasses.

Limitations and Cautions

Jeanrenaud was transparent about the app's shortcomings, acknowledging that Nearby Glasses may incorrectly flag other devices made by the same manufacturers as smart glasses. He also urged users not to harass anyone based on suspicions of wearing a concealed recording device.

Context: The Smart Glasses Market Keeps Expanding

In September 2025, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the Meta Ray-Ban Display — the company's first smart glasses with a built-in screen. Two months later, in November, Chinese tech giant Alibaba launched its own AI-powered smart glasses under the Qwen brand. As more major corporations enter the smart glasses space, detection tools like Nearby Glasses are poised to become increasingly relevant.