Google Glass Privacy Hack

Technology
Google Glass Privacy Hack
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As a newly-inducted member of the Google Glass Explorer Program, I was very concerned about the privacy implications of Google’s new wearable computer. But with just $10 in materials, I was able to make a quick hack to alleviate my own concerns. I don’t want to totally ruin the surprise for you, so just hit play on the video above to get the details.

32 thoughts on “Google Glass Privacy Hack

  1. Kent K Barnes says:

    Just made my morning….

  2. tonyv says:

    Excellent!

    If you are going to be the obnoxious, selfish, clown that you have to be to wear Google Glass in public, you might as well look the part!

    1. Google Glass Privacy Hack Matt Richardson says:

      Hah hah, point taken on “obnoxious” and “clown,” but selfish? How are Glass-wearers selfish?

      1. tonyv says:

        They violate other people’s privacy, of course! Maybe I should have added clueless to my list of adjectives?

        I was in a Subway restaurant the other day, and a geek comes in wearing his pair. The staff waiting on him were obviously very uncomfortable with someone pointing a camera at them, but weren’t in any position to protest or stay out of his way.

        My wife knows an aerobics instructor who teaches a class on the Google campus. She forbids them from wearing their Glass while working out (yes, THEY TRIED!!!). She said she doesn’t want her butt on YouTube.

        Need I go on? Google Glass wearers make people around them very uncomfortable — to wear them in public is a selfish act.

        1. Google Glass Privacy Hack Matt Richardson says:

          Hey now, that was simply an attempt to draw your argument against Glass out, no need to call me “clueless!” Clown and obnoxious are still OK, though.

          Anyway, I’m just trying to make light of the privacy issue. But I also think that it’s a shame that all cameras get such a bum rap based on people’s fears.

          1. diabhal says:

            penny-arcade dot com /comic/2013/06/14

      2. Kris Lee says:

        See how UK is wetting their mounts to use Google Glass for political harashment http://www.afr.com/p/technology/google_glass_and_social_media_to_R5en8jIWOeVUjasiJqsaIL

        You are welcome!

  3. Emmanuel Mota says:

    LoL That was great Matt.

  4. Tommy Phillips says:

    Well, I’m not going to start calling you names, Matt, but I do think it’s a little ironic that a person wearing a camera on his face has concerns about his privacy.

    -Tommy Phillips

    1. Google Glass Privacy Hack Matt Richardson says:

      I know I’m not a professional comic, but was my delivery THAT bad?!

      1. Kris Lee says:

        I for one find that it was pretty hilarious but it is actually making joke about people who really have honest privacy concerns so this felt a bit as derision towards them.

  5. Bitty says:

    Speaking of privacy, can you tell us which of the 17 tracking widgets we need to unblock to be able to view the video?

    Thanks.

  6. gaijintendo says:

    Annoying as it may be to HAVE to opt out of your daily life, you could wear some Cree IR LEDs around your face, and essentially turn your face into a shiny blob. Some caveats apply.

  7. anthonybr6 says:

    I thought your message came through loud and clear. I know I’m not the only one to wear my cell phone in a clip on my waist. No one seems to freak out when walk into a room even though it has a better camera the Google Glass does.

  8. topdiablo3 says:

    Well, I’m not going to start calling you names, Matt, but I do think it’s a little ironic that a person wearing a camera on his face has concerns about his privacy.

  9. Henry says:

    I was excited to know what you did to improve your privacy with Google Glass, but I got confused when you disappeared in the middle of the video and were replaced with a mustachioed man…

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Matt Richardson is a San Francisco-based creative technologist and Contributing Editor at MAKE. He’s the co-author of Getting Started with Raspberry Pi and the author of Getting Started with BeagleBone.

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