A newly released mobile application named ZuckOff is helping users identify when they are in the vicinity of Meta’s smart glasses. Developed by Pawel Szydlowski, a 30-year-old programmer from Poland, the app utilizes Bluetooth detection to alert users to the presence of these devices. Since its debut in August, ZuckOff has garnered significant attention, with over 5,000 downloads on Apple’s App Store and another 1,000 on Google Play.
The development of the app comes amid intensifying scrutiny regarding Meta’s wearable technology. Concerns over unauthorized filming have escalated, with reports of individuals using the glasses to record dates without consent. Consequently, various venues, including schools and cinemas, have begun implementing bans on the devices.
To create the application, Szydlowski acquired multiple models of smart glasses to record their unique Bluetooth signals. By compiling this data, he established digital fingerprints for each device, allowing the app to recognize specific brands such as Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, and Snap Spectacles when their unique identifiers match manufacturer codes in the surrounding area.
Privacy advocates have pointed to serious risks associated with the glasses. A January investigation by the BBC traced numerous accounts that shared footage of women filmed in public without their knowledge; one video featuring a 21-year-old woman’s face and contact information received over 1.3 million views. Furthermore, the indicator lights designed to show when recording is active have been easily disabled through simple hardware modifications, enabling covert filming. Approximately 7 million pairs of Meta’s smart glasses were sold in 2025.
In response to these issues, Meta announced in July that it would roll out a software update designed to detect if an LED indicator has been physically tampered with or destroyed, automatically disabling the camera in such cases. Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Bosworth, emphasized during an Instagram video that the camera system is intended to be visible to those around the wearer. This stance highlights a tension with the product’s marketing, which promotes the camera’s discreet appearance.
ZuckOff does not determine whether the glasses are actively recording or identify the wearer. Instead, it measures signal strength to estimate proximity, offering a partial solution to what has previously been an invisible threat. The app serves as a interim tool while legislative bodies take further action; California and other jurisdictions have already moved to criminalize the disabling of recording indicators or the act of recording without consent.
Legally, the app is difficult for Meta to remove because it does not interfere with the signals emitted by the glasses. While the core scanning feature remains free, ZuckOff Pro is available for $25. This premium tier includes additional functionalities such as history logging, CSV data export, a home screen widget, and continuous background monitoring that can trigger alerts even when the device screen is off.
Interesting tech, but does Bluetooth detection really solve the consent issue? Covert filming requires legal consequences, not just proximity alerts.
Finally, a tool for us. Meta claims visibility but the hardware mods make lies of that. This app is a necessary stopgap.