Meta takes down Dutch satirist’s film made with Meta glasses

Instagram removed a video by Roel Maalderink in which the satirical journalist films himself asking the employees of parent company Meta how they feel about the controversial camera glasses.

In the short video, which can still be seen on Alphabet-owned YouTube, Maalderink dons the so-called “pervert glasses” and quizzes staff after instructing the device to start recording.

The gadgets, the most popular version of which is sold by Meta, look like normal glasses but allow users to film and take photos covertly.

The employees, all of whom have their features blurred and are unrecognisable, are not pleased about being recorded.

The video, made together with digital rights organisation Bits of Freedom, was removed from Instagram over what Meta said was “bullying and harassment”.

“I’ve been making satirical videos about everything for 10 years now: Gaza, Ukraine, refugees,” Maalderink said in a statement. He added that this was the first time he had had a video taken down.

Bits of Freedom said that this behaviour shows the company’s power. “Meta determines what becomes publicly discussable and how the debate unfolds. Apparently, there’s no room for criticism directed at Meta itself,” the organisation said.

Earlier this week, Dutch privacy watchdog AP warned that sharing images made with camera glasses violates GDPR rules unless permission is given by everyone in the image.