Recently, Imane “Pokimane” Anys had a harrowing experience that taught her a lesson about Meta Glasses.
Featured VideoIn her TikTok PSA, which has 713,300 views, she said: “Something kind of scary happened to me tonight, and I want to talk about it in case it’s something other women should watch out for too.”
She then went on to explain how she was hanging out with her friends at Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Generally, Rodeo Drive is home to numerous street photographers, so Pokimane wasn’t fazed when someone took a photo of her.
Concerningly, this man then runs up behind her asking, “Aren’t you that streamer girl?”
AdvertisementHe then proceeds to ask her name and continues to ask her more questions, even though he had put his camera away at that point.
“It’s kind of giving interview,” she explains. “I was like, I guess he’s just someone who’s genuinely curious, and I’m trying to just be nice.”
Things took a darker turn
Things took a turn when he started asking her about a particular male streamer “talking s***” about her. At this point, he was yelling and asked her if she was dating the said streamer.
Advertisement@pokialtwarning for the ladies / getting clip farmed n rage baited irl
♬ original sound – Poki
Eventually, Pokimane got away, but after discussing the ordeal with her friend, she pointed out that the man was wearing Meta Glasses, which can be used to record people.
“The dude was literally rage-baiting me in person, hoping I would fall for it while recording me with these glasses,” she said, “And I’m not gonna lie, it had me kind of shook, not because it was some like, super crazy ordeal. It more so just had me shook because I didn’t realize that I was being recorded at all. And I just, I don’t agree with, like, unconsensual recording.”
She then went on to question how these glasses can be used in “other scenarios” in more “intimate settings, or especially if you’re even just out and about meeting someone for the first time.”
Advertisement“That aspect kind of freaked me out,” she admitted. “So I just wanted to tell you guys, you see someone with these black frames. Go check if there’s a camera in there.”
In the comments, users were sympathetic. “Isn’t that illegal?” one asked. “Sorry, that’s like so icky. Sorry, this happened, Poki.”
“Shady male predatory behavior,” another added. “I hate it here. I can be your bodyguard, Poki.” While a third remarked, “I don’t understand WHO thought camera glasses were a good idea… Like anyone who goes outside would see that mostly weirdos would buy them.”
Pokimane’s team didn’t immediately respond to The Daily Dot’s request for comment via email.
AdvertisementA worrying trend
This isn’t the first time Meta glasses have purportedly been used to target women. In a viral TikTok, New Yorker Niessa (@niessaxoxo_), shared how a waxer wore Meta Glasses while treating her.
“I am not a vengeful or mean person. I’m not trying to get anyone fired,” she said. “I hope that, regarding me speaking out about this, these glasses get banned from a room like that.”
Meanwhile, over on Reddit, a user claimed he had seen dozens of “pick-up artists” from the manosphere filming women without their consent using these glasses.
Advertisement“I just find these types of videos extremely creepy, and I dislike the fact that women might be being recorded covertly and being turned into content unwittingly,” they wrote.
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