While Meta, Apple, and every other big tech company are busy convincing us that we need cameras and AI shoved directly onto our faces, DuckDuckGo decided to join the smart glasses race with a very different approach. They made a pair of glasses that are completely, gloriously dumb.
Partnering with the sunglasses brand Knockaround, DuckDuckGo released a video across YouTube and Reddit announcing what they call the ultimate anti-surveillance smart glasses. The joke is that these are literally just regular sunglasses with a duck logo on the frame. The temples even have small icons that indicate that the glasses have no camera, no Wi-Fi, and no notifications.
The whole campaign takes direct shots at Meta’s Ray-Bans and the growing privacy headaches surrounding wearable tech. DuckDuckGo hits viewers with hilarious pitches, guaranteeing that these shades will never secretly record nude videos of you or send your personal data to random people, adding that they never thought they would have to guarantee something like that, but here we are.
They also poke fun at typical tech marketing jargon by flexing features like a 360-degree panoramic lens that lets you see things by simply turning your head in a circle.
You absolutely have to watch the ad to get it. So we’ve added it below:
Over on Reddit, DuckDuckGo staff responded to a user’s comment praising the move, saying, “Exactly. Your face is not a data source.”
This goofy stunt fits right in with DuckDuckGo’s usual habit of picking fights with Big Tech. We recently covered how DuckDuckGo wants your help to filter out AI websites from search results, and the privacy company has also been pushing hard to end Google’s power to be your default search engine. Mocking Meta’s push into wearable AI hardware is just another clever way to push their privacy-first agenda.
If you want a pair, they are actually real and being sold on the Knockaround store for a limited run. They will not answer your questions or record your surroundings, but at least nobody will accuse you of creepily recording them at the park.
Dwayne Cubbins
2870 Posts
I cover fast-moving stories across apps, online platforms, and everyday tech — phones, wearables, consoles, and whatever else people are fighting with this week. Bugs, rollouts, scams, policy enforcement, and the occasional internet-culture rabbit hole are all fair game. My goal is simple — make confusing tech news readable. When I'm not working, I'm working out or chilling with my dog. Got a tip? You can find me on X @dcubbins.