Newcastle City Council has criticized the actions of self-proclaimed "auditors" who film vulnerable individuals in public spaces for social media engagement, calling their behavior "ruthless exploitation." The council has issued community protection warnings to two individuals accused of using Meta smart glasses to record people in vulnerable situations—such as those who are intoxicated, sleeping, or being arrested—and uploading the videos online. These videos are often accompanied by dehumanizing or mocking comments. Councillor Mark Mitchell, the council's deputy leader, described the behavior as "exploitative" and "bullying or harassing," emphasizing that even a single instance of such activity is unacceptable. He has urged the government to address the growing issue of covert filming for online engagement and said the council will pursue legal action if the individuals do not stop. Law enforcement has previously attempted to act against similar behavior. In 2024, a 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of voyeurism and harassment linked to viral "nightlife" videos. However, the case collapsed due to "limitations within the current legislation," and detectives considered pursuing civil action instead. This highlights a challenge faced by authorities: while filming in public spaces is generally not illegal, the rise of new technologies has created a gap in legal frameworks that makes it difficult to prosecute such cases. Chara Bakalis, an associate professor in law at Oxford Brookes University, explained that the rapid development of technology has outpaced existing laws, making it harder to address issues like covert filming. She noted that Newcastle's decision to pursue civil action shows a growing concern among authorities. Bakalis believes that lawmakers will eventually be forced to update legislation to address these modern challenges. Public concern has recently focused on the use of Meta's AI-powered smart glasses, which critics have nicknamed "pervert glasses" due to instances where they were used to film individuals without consent. The Liberal Democrats have called for stronger safeguards, including a ban on convicted sex offenders purchasing such devices. A Meta spokesperson stated that harassing content is not acceptable on their platforms and that the company is actively taking action against such content and the accounts involved. TikTok and the government have been contacted for further comment.