People are singing Disney songs when smart glasses film them: Here’s why

If you suspect someone is filming you with smart glasses without permission, the internet has an unlikely suggestion: start singing a Disney tune.

The theory isn't that it will make the person stop recording, but that platforms' copyright detection systems might catch the music and pull the video down, or at least mute it, before it spreads online.

How does the Disney copyright loophole work?

These platforms employ a system that scans uploaded videos for any copyrighted music.

In case there is any copyrighted music in the clip, it will either get muted, deleted or, in rare instances, face legal action by the copyright holder. Copyright laws apply to the lyrics, composition and tune of music; hence, a poor version of singing can result in deletion of a video.

This technique has been used by many people all over the world, but the response on the internet is mostly one of disbelief and exasperation. Many have noted the irony of how copyrighted music enjoys legal protection online more than the privacy of an individual against being filmed without his or her consent.

Whereas copyright laws apply across the board to many nations, privacy laws differ widely from one nation to another; thus, many women who have been filmed by smart glasses users lack a way to delete that content.

The controversy has intensified alongside the rising popularity of smart glasses, with Meta's Ray-Ban models emerging as the dominant product on the market.

As more people wear cameras on their faces in public, the devices have reignited long-running arguments over filming strangers without their knowledge.

Meta says it takes non-consensual filming seriously and has introduced changes to the indicator light that signals when the glasses are recording, alongside removing content, such as unsolicited "pick-up "line"-style videos, that it considers harassment.