A California judge scolded members of Mark Zuckerberg's legal team after they showed up to a Los Angeles courtroom wearing Meta Ray-Ban glasses — camera-equipped smart eyewear — during a high-stakes trial over social media's impact on children.
"The judge upbraided the Meta team and said, 'If you guys have recorded anything, you have to dispose of it, or I will hold you in contempt,'" Jacob Ward, a technology journalist and host of "The Rip Current" podcast, told CBS News on Wednesday.
Ward described the episode as "an extraordinary misstep" by Meta.
It remains unclear whether members of Zuckerberg's team were actively using the devices inside the courtroom or how long the glasses were worn.
Recording devices and cameras are generally prohibited in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where strict rules govern courtroom conduct.
"Judicial officers have the discretion to place limitations on video recording and photography in their courtroom," a spokesperson for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County told CBS News, citing local and state rules.
Judge Carolyn Kuhl, who is presiding over the case, ordered anyone wearing artificial intelligence-powered smart glasses in the courtroom to remove them immediately. She also warned that any attempt to use facial recognition technology to identify jurors would not be tolerated.
"This is very serious," she reportedly said.
Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses retail for between $299 and $799 and are capable of taking photos and recording video — raising concerns about privacy and courtroom security.
Zuckerberg appeared in court as part of a closely watched trial examining whether Meta and Alphabet-owned YouTube intentionally designed their social media platforms to drive compulsive use among minors.
The plaintiff, identified only by the initials "KGM," alleges that early exposure to social media led to addiction and damaged her mental health — claims that strike at the heart of the national debate over Big Tech's influence on America's youth.
Newsmax reached out to Meta for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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