Hans Anders pulls Meta camera glasses from sale

Optician chain Hans Anders, one of the largest in the Netherlands, has stopped selling Meta’s camera glasses with immediate effect.

The company confirmed the decision to the ANP news agency and said it was prompted by growing concern over the privacy risks of the glasses.

It will wait for the debate to play out before deciding whether, and how, to sell them again.

Filming without being noticed

The Meta glasses look like an ordinary pair but have a built-in camera and an AI assistant.

They have been on sale in the Netherlands since September 2025, including at opticians.

They have been nicknamed ‘peeping glasses’ because they make it easy to film or photograph people without them noticing.

Resistance has come from many sectors, including hospitals and defence.

A few weeks ago the Dutch Data Protection Authority warned that footage made with the glasses cannot simply be made public.

Court case and calls for a ban

The Consumentenbond, the Dutch consumers’ association, has called for a ban before.

On Tuesday 29 September it said that it and several other organisations will go to court if Meta does not stop selling the glasses within two weeks.

Last week the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of parliament, asked for a clear ban on camera glasses.

Secretly filming in places such as changing rooms and toilets is already a criminal offence, but MPs say that is not enough in practice.

The cabinet is waiting for European advice on camera and AI glasses, which is expected this autumn.

In the meantime, other shops and webshops are still selling the glasses.

Check out our guide to your rights as a consumer in the Netherlands.

Source: NOS