CalMac pauses bridge visits after Meta glasses filming
CalMac has temporarily paused public bridge visits on its vessels after a calmac passenger filming meta smart glasses recorded people without permission in a restricted area. Crew and passengers were left uncomfortable, and the ferry operator says safety and wellbeing are its top priority while visits are reviewed.
Key Takeaways
- CalMac has temporarily paused public bridge visits after unauthorised filming with smart glasses.
- Reports say a passenger used Meta glasses to record crew, port staff and members of the public.
- The incident is believed to have taken place on an Outer Hebrides route several weeks ago.
- CalMac says crew safety and wellbeing remain its number one priority.
- One report says visits are not permanently banned but must be arranged in advance for now.
What happened during the CalMac passenger filming Meta incident?
According to BBC News, ferry operator CalMac paused bridge visits after a passenger used smart glasses to film without permission. Ayrshire Weekly Press reported that the man was caught filming passengers and crew with Meta glasses.
The Scottish Sun reported that the man recorded multiple members of crew and port staff, and also filmed members of the public, leaving people uncomfortable. STV News said the episode involved secret filming in a restricted area.
It is not known from BBC reporting which ferry the incident took place on. STV News said the filming is believed to have happened on a route in the Outer Hebrides several weeks ago, while The Scottish Sun dated the episode to last month.
Why did CalMac pause bridge visits after smart glasses filming?
A CalMac spokesperson said: "We have temporarily paused bridge visits on vessels by members of the public after an incident where an individual filmed in a restricted area without permission."
The operator added that crews and port teams welcome interest in CalMac, but "their safety and wellbeing is our number one priority." The Scottish Sun quoted CalMac describing an "uncomfortable" episode and saying staff were made uncomfortable by the recording.
That same report said ferry bosses felt they had little choice but to scrap ad hoc visits to the command centre, while also stating visits have not been stopped outright and must instead be arranged in advance as a temporary measure. BBC and STV both described the public bridge visits as temporarily paused.
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How do Meta smart glasses make discreet recording possible?
BBC News noted that Meta glasses feature an almost invisible camera in the frames and small speakers in the arms. Wearers can record video or take a photo by touching the frame.
STV News reported that the technology was developed by Meta and incorporated into sunglass brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley as a hands-free filming option. That discreet design is central to why a calmac passenger filming meta glasses raised safety and privacy concerns on board.
CalMac has not publicly named the vessel or published a fuller investigation timeline in the reports cited here. For now, the practical effect for passengers is clear: informal bridge drop-ins are on hold while the operator protects crew, port teams and travellers.