ZuckOff is a mobile app that listens for Bluetooth broadcasts from camera-equipped glasses and alerts you when devices like Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, Snap Spectacles or similar hardware are nearby. It recognizes manufacturer signatures and some product names, displays the evidence behind each detection so you can review and dispute it, and keeps a continuous log of every Bluetooth device heard. The app supports background alerts, an iPhone Home Screen widget and Lock Screen Live Activity, Shortcuts/Siri integration, CSV export of the full log, and a feature to mark your own pair so they stop raising alerts. Nothing leaves your phone and no account is required; the app is available on iOS and Android.
Detection rules are built from captures of real devices and identify service UUIDs and vendor IDs (examples listed include Luxottica, Meta Platforms, Snap and Oculus-related signatures). Important limits are called out: some glasses advertise only briefly or stay silent, signal strength estimates distance but not direction, and a detection is not proof someone is recording. The project solicits hardware for testing, invites collaboration with privacy groups, accepts support via donations, sells merch to fund development, and states it is independent and unaffiliated with the manufacturers named.
Summary generated by AI from the linked article. hn.today is not affiliated with Hacker News or Y Combinator.
An arbitrator ordered Uber and driver Vu Tran to pay $40 million to Emily Normandin-Parker's parents after she was killed on a California freeway. Uber disputes the ruling, claiming it is legally not responsible for the incident. (consumerrights.wiki)
Sun Microsystems became complacent with its business operations, leading to poor customer service and missed opportunities. This decline was exemplified by a 2005 incident where Sun failed to support a growing startup, contrasting sharply with competitors like Dell. (bcantrill.dtrace.org)
Europe is preparing for a broader conflict due to Russia's increased hybrid and unconventional attacks, as well as Belarus training for an attack on the Baltics. The region's tensions are escalating beyond the Ukraine conflict. (cnn.com)
Disabling Siri and related services on macOS 27 does not fully stop the Siri AI process from running. Users question whether it is truly possible to completely turn off Siri and Apple Intelligence features on the latest macOS version. (news.ycombinator.com)
Investigations into Toronto's shooter-for-hire network were hindered by a highly secure phone system. The phone's impenetrability prevented authorities from accessing crucial evidence. (theglobeandmail.com)
ZuckOff is a free app that detects Meta smart glasses by scanning Bluetooth signals, alerting users to nearby devices. Meta's smart glasses face scrutiny over privacy concerns, with updates planned to improve recording detection. (wired.me)
Today's best Hacker News stories, summarized and screenshotted, one email a day.