In a harrowing incident that shook New Orleans on New Year’s Day, Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a rented pickup truck into a crowd, killing 14 people before being fatally shot by police. Adding to this tragedy, the FBI released footage recorded by Jabbar using Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Footage retrieved from Jabbar’s smart glasses provides a disturbing glimpse into his mindset. Videos show him wandering through the streets of New Orleans before the attack, even capturing his reflection in a mirror while wearing the glasses. Security cameras corroborated that Jabbar wore the glasses as he prepared for the assault, likely using them to record reconnaissance footage discreetly.
While the glasses were not activated during the actual attack, the chilling intimacy of the recordings highlights their potential as tools for sinister purposes. As FBI New Orleans Special Agent Lyonel Myrthil explained, “Meta glasses appear to look like regular glasses but they allow a user to record video and photos hands-free.”
The glasses, which feature a small LED light indicating active recording, are discreet enough to blend seamlessly into everyday scenarios. However, experts warn this very subtlety could enable malicious actors to exploit them for invasive or violent purposes.
The glasses’ ability to capture a wearer’s perspective makes them a valuable tool for attack planning, according to counterterrorism expert Sam Hunter. “You’re really getting a sense of the eyeline and eyesight,” Hunter told NBC News. “It’s starting to get more and more into the footage of what it actually looks like and feels like when you’re in that environment.”
He further warned of the glasses’ future misuse, stating, “I would not be surprised if you see versions of them or folks using them for attack planning in the future, again because they’re so discreet in terms of capturing that footage.”
Initially underestimated by its creators, Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses became a surprise hit, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealing during a July earnings call that demand outpaced supply. Despite their commercial success, the glasses have drawn comparisons to earlier, less successful attempts at similar tech from Google and Snapchat.
Privacy concerns have dogged the product, as the glasses’ design makes it easy to obscure the recording indicator light. Critics argue that this flaw could encourage misuse, whether for privacy invasions or, in this case, more sinister purposes.