A California judge has admonished representatives of Mark Zuckerberg’s team for wearing Ray Ban-Meta AI glasses, which include cameras, when they entered a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday. This was during a landmark trial concerning the impact of social media on children.
The incident, as reported by Jacob Ward, host of the Rip Current Podcast and a technology journalist, described it as an “extraordinary misstep” taken by Meta in its defense strategies. Although unclear if Zuckerberg’s team had the glasses on inside the courtroom or for how long they were wearing them, Judge Carolyn Kuhl, presiding over the trial, issued stern instructions to anyone using facial recognition technology to identify jurors.
Ward stated: “If you guys have recorded anything during your time in court today, I want you to dispose of it immediately. Any evidence collected shall be destroyed.” The judge further ordered that any AI glasses being worn must be removed from the premises at once, citing Los Angeles County Superior Court’s strict ban on recording devices and cameras.
The Meta glasses are priced between $299 and $799 and feature a camera capable of taking photos and recording video. At trial, Zuckerberg was present to testify as part of a broader inquiry into whether social media giants designed their platforms with the intent to create compulsive usage among young users. The plaintiff in this suit, identified only by initials “KGM,” claims that her use of social media from an early age contributed significantly to her developing addiction and mental health issues.
Meta has not yet responded to inquiries about this incident. As the court did not provide immediate comment on the matter, speculation surrounds the potential implications for Meta’s legal strategy in light of these new guidelines.