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'Zuckoff' App Detects Meta Smartglasses, as Meta Plans Camera-Free Version, Loses Money, and Offers Social Media Subscriptions
A new app called Zuckoff has been developed to detect Meta's AI-powered smart glasses, which have faced criticism for potential misuse. Programmer Pawel Szydlowski created Zuckoff after hearing accounts of harassment and unauthorized recording. The app, which detects Bluetooth signatures from the glasses, has gained 5,000 users and attracted the attention of EU regulators. Meta has previously disabled thousands of glasses that had their recording indicator lights tampered with. In related news, Meta is reportedly planning to release a version of its glasses without a camera. The smart glasses, which include microphones for AI interaction, are part of Meta's Reality Labs, a division that is experiencing significant financial losses. To offset these losses and generate revenue from AI investments, Meta is introducing subscription services for its social apps. These new subscription plans, starting at $2.99 per month, offer various premium features and increased AI usage limits. Features include extended story visibility, exclusive stickers, and enhanced AI capabilities for creators and businesses. The introduction of these paid features has been met with public skepticism regarding Meta's prioritization of AI access based on subscription tiers.