'People call them pervert glasses': Blind users fear backlash over smart tech
Visually impaired users of smart glasses are facing social stigma as the devices are increasingly associated with secret filming and harassment. Users like Fraser Fleming report that the 'pervert glasses' label is forcing them to choose between independence and avoiding public confrontation.
Why it matters
This highlights the unintended social consequences of wearable technology and how public perception can hinder accessibility for disabled individuals.
Image caption, Fraser Fleming says his glasses help him navigate public transport and read street signs
Fraser Fleming approaches the corner of a busy Glasgow city centre street and asks his smart glasses to describe the road ahead.
A voice coming from tiny speakers in the arms of the specs tells him there are several parked cars and a person walking in his direction.
For 44-year-old Fraser, who is registered blind, this is "game changing" information.
"I know how to approach the street and what sort of care to take," he says.
"If I need to maybe take my time or if I can just walk at normal pace."
Fraser, who began losing his sight in his early twenties, says his AI-powered Meta smart glasses have become part of his everyday life during the past two years.
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