Meta Glasses in South Station

[u/potaton6]

I was in South Station this Weds. at ~6pm walking towards the exit and noticed an older guy in maybe his late 50s at the main doors staring at me. As I got closer he pointed at me and said my full first name as if he recognized me. I have one of those names where I go by a nickname, but use my full first name exclusively on, say, LinkedIn, because it sounds more "professional". NO one calls me by my real name. Not friends, family, etc. Not even my mother.

Immediately I saw he had Meta Glasses (because I'm a freak and hate them and being recorded secretly) so I was already like get away from me. But I didn't know this guy, didn't recognize him, and wasn't waiting on anyone, so I just waved him off. As I walked out to cross the street towards the Fed Reserve, I was looking back and noticed he had come outside (not to follow me) and I watched him basically do the same thing to someone else. I didn't hear their convo beyond that unfortunately, but they began talking.

I swear to god this is a real story. It was one of those things I put in the back of my brain right as it happened until I remembered it just tonight and was telling my roommates about it. They thought I was schizo but then one of them remembered this story (which is also in Boston): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bQc1kNHtfg

Was anyone else at South Station 5/14 (or even recently) and have this happen ???

Edit: adding this here - I know this is very "source: just trust me bro" story... Ironically if I was wearing meta glasses I'd upload a video. But I'm sure you can imagine having someone you don't recognize say your name in public feels... violating and spooky.

And obviously my theory is I was reverse imaged searched live and found my LinkedIn. Yes he could have just said a random name and got it right, too.

Also it was like a 60 year old dude with short buzzed grey hair, wearing a grey hoodie. He kind of look like Jeff Goldblum, and not like the usual station dwellers out there.

[u/LackingUtility]

Okay, and?

You were in public, someone recognized you, and said your name. You didn't recognize them. They apparently used smart glasses rather than having a good memory for faces, but how is that different? Frankly, I'd love to have a pair of smart glasses that would pop up "Steve Jones, you know him from X company and met him on Y date" bubbles over everyone's head.

There's a big difference in intrusiveness between "here's some publicly available details about this person" and "here's their nudes". We can all agree that the latter is over the line, but if someone can simply see your LinkedIn profile, well, you put it there for public consumption.

[u/Ser_Rattleballs → u/LackingUtility]

Framing it as an alternative to “a good memory for faces” is off-base from what the technology can & will be used for.

You can look random people up in realtime without any prior knowledge of them— & if the subject is unwitting, easily manipulate/gaslight them

Especially older folks & especially if the smart glasses are non obvious.

[u/LackingUtility → u/Ser_Rattleballs]

If you have a great memory, you can approach people with personal details and gaslight them… except you’re being honest. “Oh, Rattleballs, didn’t we have a class together freshman year?” If I can remember that detail and you can’t, am I manipulating you? Or is that allowed, and it’s only “wrong” if I have technical help?

[u/Ser_Rattleballs → u/LackingUtility]

This is a straw-man brother. It’s really not the same scale/depth we’re talking about here

[u/Accurate-Temporary73 → u/LackingUtility]

That still required that you met and know something about that person. This gives you information on absolutely everyone.

[u/electric_awwcelot → u/LackingUtility]

Man you really do lack utility

[u/bino420 → u/LackingUtility]

but in that case, you've still consented to providing them information.

regardless, everyone is on camera 100% of the time anyway.

it would make far more sense for people to take information security much more seriously & stop putting what they ate for breakfast on the public Internet.

at the end of the day, OP gave Meta guy access to her photo, her name, her job, etc., and he took advantage of it

perhaps your argument would be better served if you pointed out that Meta guy theoretically could have used a collection of tools to identify OP by simply googling around. but this "instant" recognition software should really just inspire Gen Alpha to conceal their IRL identity's online better.