DuckDuckGo's $35 'Anti-Surveillance' Sunglasses Mock Meta's Smart Glasses

DuckDuckGo, a search engine prioritizing user privacy, has introduced a pair of intentionally non-smart sunglasses that lack cameras, AI, and electronics. Retailing for $35, these sunglasses are a joint effort with the eyewear brand Knockaround and are promoted as the most innovative anti-surveillance eyewear, or simply regular sunglasses. Announced on Twitter on July 30, 2026, the playful ad campaign emphasizes features like an everlasting charge, offline functionality, and absence of notifications. It also addresses a troubling report about private videos from Meta Ray-Bans being sent to tech workers in Kenya for data labeling, who reported seeing explicit content. Additionally, The Onion produced parody reviews, including one where a man rated the glasses zero out of ten, deeming them 'useless for perverts.' The term 'pervert glasses' has emerged due to the misuse of smart spectacles, leading to increased public apprehension about wearing them. A guerrilla marketing effort in London depicted Kylie Jenner, a partner of Meta smart glasses, as a monster using lenticular printing. The sunglasses can be purchased through a link provided in DuckDuckGo's tweet.