Update: Meta, EssilorLuxottica Face Criminal Complaint in Germany Over Smart Glasses

MT Newswires · 3d ago
04:37 AM EDT, 08/13/2026 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates to add Meta's statement) A Germany-based human rights nonprofit organization filed a criminal complaint against companies including Meta Platforms (FB2A.F) and brands under EssilorLuxottica (EL.PA) over the sale of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in the country. HateAid claimed that the sale of the smart glasses violates German data privacy laws, noting that the Wayfarer model in particular is nearly indistinguishable from other popular Ray-Ban models, according to a Wednesday statement. The group's complaint with the Central Office for Combating Internet Crime targets Meta Platforms Technologies Ireland, EssilorLuxottica's Ray-Ban and Oakley, as well as optical retail chains Fielmann, Apollo-Optik, Mister Spex (MRX.F), and MediaMarkt. A Meta spokesperson told MT Newswires that the smart glasses passed regulatory review in Germany in 2022 and were built "with privacy safeguards from the ground up that go beyond what any smartphone offers." Meanwhile, EssilorLuxottica did not immediately respond to a request for comment.