People are already hacking their Snapchat Spectacles

Youtuber Keaton Keller was pretty excited about hacking the spectacles.
Youtuber Keaton Keller was pretty excited about hacking the spectacles.
Image: techsmartt via youtube

Just weeks after they were introduced to the world, people have started investigating ways to hack their new Snapchat Spectacles.

The new smart sunglasses offer a whole new experience in snapping, allowing filming from the point of view of the user. But going incognito requires some tweaking of the gadget — and techies and bloggers are already showing everyone how to do it.

YouTube vlogger Jesse Wellens was one of the first. He showed his 10 million subscribers that using the specs without anyone knowing just requires a little electrical tape and enthusiasm.

In a recent video, Wellens places black tape over the LED lights at the top corner of the glasses that indicate the device is filming. He floats around Venice Beach wearing the sunglasses, casually recording his interactions with unaware friends and bystanders.

Other users have altered the smart glasses to go undercover. YouTuber and tech blogger Keaton Keller pulled off the same electrical tape trick, while also spray-painting the glasses Snapchat yellow for good measure.

"When I bring these out in public and I hit the record button, the light comes on and people are like 'Oh are you recording me?'," he said in the recent video. "Like of course I'm recording you. So that's really annoying and I want to fix that."

Snapchat Spectacles raised privacy concerns when they were launched, with one tech blogger warning they could be used "in inappropriate ways." 

So remember, if it feels like that person in the hipster glasses is filming you, they just might be.