When Smart Glasses Meet Personal Privacy: A Woman’s Unsettling Waxing Experience
The Encounter That Raised Alarm Bells
What started as a routine pre-vacation Brazilian wax appointment turned into a disturbing privacy concern for New York influencer Aniessa Navarro. Walking into a Manhattan European Wax Center, Navarro was prepared for the usual procedure but not for what she would notice on her esthetician’s face: a pair of Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. These weren’t ordinary eyewear but sophisticated $350 AI-enabled frames designed for hands-free recording, complete with Bluetooth speakers and voice command capabilities for calls and text dictation. In an intimate setting where privacy should be paramount, the presence of potentially recording devices immediately set off alarm bells for Navarro. Though the procedure continued, her comfort had evaporated, replaced by growing unease about whether she was being recorded during this vulnerable moment.
From Casual Conversation to Creeping Concern
The appointment had begun normally, with friendly conversation between Navarro and her esthetician. However, once she noticed the smart glasses, the atmosphere changed dramatically for her. When questioned about the eyewear, the waxer casually dismissed concerns, claiming they were merely prescription lenses that weren’t charged. Despite this reassurance, Navarro couldn’t shake her discomfort, particularly given the extremely private nature of a Brazilian wax. The possibility that these glasses—designed with built-in cameras—could be recording her intimate procedure continued to disturb her long after she left the salon. What should have been a routine beauty appointment had transformed into a troubling experience that raised serious questions about privacy boundaries in personal care services.
Seeking Advice and Taking Action
The incident weighed so heavily on Navarro’s mind that she decided to share her experience on TikTok, hoping to gather advice from her followers. Her video quickly went viral, with viewers expressing shared concern and offering suggestions ranging from contacting lawyers to reporting the incident to European Wax Center’s corporate office. Taking this advice to heart, Navarro first reached out to the company’s customer service, initially receiving only a generic response before being told that the representative would contact the specific location for more information. Not satisfied with this approach, she consulted two different law firms, both of which advised her that she likely had grounds for legal action. Despite this professional guidance, Navarro found herself at a crossroads—she didn’t want to potentially cause someone to lose their job if no actual recording had taken place, yet she couldn’t ignore the serious privacy violation that might have occurred.
Advocacy Over Accusation: A Measured Response
Rather than immediately pursuing litigation, Navarro decided to channel her energy toward raising awareness about the potential dangers of smart glasses in settings where privacy is expected. Her goal shifted from seeking personal redress to advocating for clearer policies prohibiting recording devices in intimate service environments. This measured approach demonstrated Navarro’s concern for broader systemic change rather than individual punishment. As her story gained traction and began attracting media attention, European Wax Center issued a statement to The Washington Post claiming that the glasses had been powered off during the procedure. However, this response failed to address the fundamental concern: that devices capable of discreet recording have no place in settings where clients are in vulnerable positions, regardless of whether they’re actively recording or not.
A Symptom of Broader Privacy Concerns
Navarro’s experience highlights a growing tension in our increasingly surveilled society. While Google introduced smart glasses over a decade ago, the technology has only recently become mainstream enough to create these types of everyday privacy dilemmas. What makes these devices particularly concerning is that they’re designed to blend seamlessly into normal life—unlike obvious cameras or recording equipment, smart glasses can easily go unnoticed or be dismissed as regular eyewear. Adding to the concern, online tutorials exist explaining how to cover the recording indicator light on these glasses while still allowing recording functionality, making it potentially impossible for someone to know if they’re being filmed. This reality creates a disturbing power imbalance in situations where people are already vulnerable, such as during personal care services that require varying degrees of undress.
Generation Z Leads the Privacy Pushback
Interestingly, it’s the digital native Generation Z that appears to be leading the resistance against the normalization of always-on recording technology. As Alice Marwick, director at the nonprofit research institute Data & Society, told The Washington Post, “It feels to young people like there’s nothing they can do to protect their privacy. Like the only solution is just stay off the internet, which really isn’t possible.” This sentiment captures the paradox of modern privacy concerns—young people who have grown up online understand better than anyone the value of having control over when and how they’re recorded. Navarro’s experience serves as a powerful reminder that as technology continues to advance, our social norms and business policies need to evolve accordingly. While smart glasses and similar wearable technologies promise convenience and enhanced capabilities, they also demand a serious reconsideration of personal boundaries and consent in spaces where privacy has traditionally been assumed. Without clear guidelines and ethical frameworks for their use, these innovations risk eroding the fundamental human right to privacy in even the most intimate settings.
