Search engine DuckDuckGo has partnered with brand Knockaround to release a limited edition pair of polarized sunglasses called Normal F***ing Sunglasses. The new product is a satirical response to Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses, which have sparked heated debate over privacy concerns.
Search engine DuckDuckGo has partnered with brand Knockaround to release a limited edition pair of polarized sunglasses called Normal F***ing Sunglasses. The new product is a satirical response to Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses, which have sparked heated debate over privacy concerns.
As Futurism reports, citing an official DuckDuckGo announcement, the new accessory is completely devoid of any electronic components. The developers position their product as «the world’s most innovative anti-tracking sunglasses».
«No camera, no microphone, no AI, no battery, no electronics whatsoever. Just a beautifully crafted pair of matte black sunglasses with a glossy DuckDuckGo logo, designed to protect you from the sun and never send data to the cloud,» the product description on Knockaround’s website states.
The classic pair is priced at $35, making them much more affordable than the Ray-Ban Meta, which starts at $299. The model has UV400 protection and a lifetime warranty. The first batch of Normal F***ing Sunglasses sold out in less than a week.
The product was a response to user concerns about Ray-Ban’s Meta smart glasses, which are equipped with cameras and AI features to analyze their surroundings. After cases of overtly capturing passersby in public places, the Meta gadget was criticized for violating privacy and was labeled «glasses for perverts».
DuckDuckGo has consistently criticized the approaches of large technology companies to data collection: in particular, the developers have previously implemented tools for blocking YouTube ads and additional protective features for users in their browser.
