Mark Zuckerberg, head of Meta, presented the smart glasses as the successor to the smartphone. Sales figures for such models are rising, but young people tend to be rather skeptical about these devices.
What did Zuckerberg announce? In a conversation with Cleo Abram on YouTube.com, he talked about technology. He explained that smart glasses would be the next big platform for users. People want to spend their time in a more natural and social way, and smartphones would be in the way. For Zuckerberg, smart glasses are the successor to the smartphone, which he also aggressively promotes on his platforms.
However, young people predominantly reject smart glasses as a technological innovation. The main reason is the privacy concerns surrounding these devices.
Millions of young people discuss smart glasses in the waxing center
What is the problem? Smart glasses, like the Ray-Ban introduced by Meta, predominantly evoke concerns and fears among young people. They see these devices as a serious threat to their privacy.
While technology companies promote these products for their practical hands-free function and advanced features, the fear of being recorded without consent and losing control over personal data grows. This has been reported by the English-language magazine Techspot.
One incident that caused a stir involved a TikTok user who allegedly visited a waxing center and noticed that the staff member was wearing such glasses during the treatment. The video was viewed over 10 million times:
While some comments acknowledged the practical utility of the devices, the majority expressed a wish for them to disappear entirely. A common report of young people’s rejection of these smart glasses also comes from the English-language Washington Post (Paywall).
Fight against smart glasses, but at the same time enthusiasm for data giants like TikTok and Co.
Although smart glasses are supposed to be the new evil, young people are extravagant when it comes to their own data or general privacy. Gen Z massively uses the platform TikTok, even though it is known that the app transfers all data to China.
- The Computerwoche reports that the younger generation seems to be significantly less concerned about privacy and their digital space than older generations.
- In mid-2025, the electronics company Samsung surveyed 8,000 people aged between 18 and 43, including 1,051 Germans, about privacy and security. One third (34%) of young Germans stated that they never think about the security of their smart devices. However, 61% of them wish for better educational offerings in this area.
Fear of missing out: The reason behind the more lax approach to privacy probably lies elsewhere: The digital provider IONOS conducted a nationwide survey on privacy in social media within Generation Z (ages 18-24, 2,502 people) together with YouGov and found that the majority treats their data carelessly.
The survey found that while many young people disagreed with the data sharing of platforms (52%), over half of Gen Z stated (58%) that they were only maybe or not at all willing to change their behavior. One reason for this, as IONOS points out: The fear of missing out on something on the platforms.
At the same time, Generation Z has also become more cautious in terms of what they share publicly. They are aware that their current or potential employer can read what they are currently posting on Facebook, X.com, or TikTok. For example, Olivia Yallop, Digital Youth Strategist (via Nielseniq.com) explains:
The concerns of Generation Z regarding privacy and data security on social media are more related to their personal appearance and the preservation of their public identity than to the long-term effects of data collection by companies regarding their preferences and dislikes.
We are living in financially uncertain times. Generation Z is resorting to harsh measures to survive and especially to repay high debts. According to the report, more and more young people are tapping into their retirement savings or selling personal possessions, as living costs are rising steadily and salary increases are mostly absent: Generation Z is plundering their savings, skipping meals, and selling their belongings just to get by
