New York Nightclub Threatens to Permanently Ban Anyone Caught With Smart Glasses

One of New York’s edgiest nightclubs has threatened to permanently ban anyone who tries to enter while wearing Meta’s smart glasses.

As Futurism reports, Basement in Queens, New York, is an underground techno club that has become one of the city’s best-known spots.

It models itself on nightclubs in Europe, such as Berlin’s Berghain, operating a strict door policy where revelers have to pass the “vibe check.”

But it appears that smart glasses definitely don’t pass the vibe check, as in a statement posted to the club’s Instagram account yesterday, the club made its stance clear.

“Our no photo / no video policy exists to protect the privacy, safety and freedom of everyone on our dance floor. Devices that allow discreet recording are incompatible with that policy,” says Basement.

“Anyone bringing smart glasses into the venue, whether wearing them or carrying them in a bag, will be asked to leave and may be permanently banned. Thank you for respecting our space and each other.”

As mentioned, the club already has a no-photo policy in place, which is in line with similar clubs in Europe, but at least partygoers can still bring their phones; Basement is outlawing smart glasses entirely.

While establishments like Basement are all about keeping people off their phones and in the moment, this particular threat of a permanent ban just for carrying a pair of Meta glasses underlines just how poor a reputation smart spectacles have in some circles.

Dubbed “pervert glasses” because of their association with so-called pick-up artists who approach random women on the street and try to “rizz” them (rizz is Gen Z slang for charisma), some owners have reported they’re becoming nervous to wear them in public, such is the backlash.

Meta, alive to the growing pushback, has said it will disable the camera for users attempting to conceal the blinking LED light that’s supposed to indicate when they’re recording and ban creepy videos filmed with them from Instagram. But none of this appears to be working.

Interestingly, Meta was reportedly granted a patent this week for a “mute or lock” switch that’s capable of shutting down “one or more sensors” in consumer products. As Futurism reports, that sounds like it could be a kill switch.

Image creditsHeader photo licensed via Depositphotos.