Everything is spying on you and there’s no opting out

Critics say new Apple Watch transcription features and Meta camera glasses normalize always-on surveillance.

A Verge opinion column argues that always-listening consumer devices are normalizing ambient surveillance. Apple says new Watch features Live Rewind and Siri Recap transcribe a rolling 15-second buffer or produce high-level summaries without identifying speakers, with an audible chime when transcribing. The piece also cites Flock cameras, always-listening AI pendants, and Meta Ray-Ban glasses, including a camera-free model alongside more camera-equipped versions. Privacy researcher Chris Gilliard says alerts do not create real consent and shift the privacy burden onto bystanders.