TikTok Foodie Defends Recording Servers With Meta Glasses Amid Outcry
Creator says wearable camera helps capture spontaneous content while preserving her privacy; critics call the practice 'creepy' and hypocritical
A popular New York City food influencer defended her use of Meta smart glasses to record restaurant staff after drawing sustained criticism online for filming people without revealing her identity.
The 22-year-old creator behind the TikTok account Elizabeth Eats NYC told the New York Post that the glasses allow her to "film without a big intrusive camera," help manage a hand tremor that makes handheld recording difficult and preserve the spontaneous interactions she seeks to capture. She said she began using the glasses when she launched the account in June and has continued to wear them as her audience grew into the millions.
Critics on social media have called her approach hypocritical and invasive, noting that she often keeps her own face hidden while recording others. Thousands of comments have pressured the creator to stop what some users described as "ambush" recordings of servers and other staff who did not realize they were being filmed.
In her interview, the creator said she has made changes in response to criticism. She said the glasses have a blinking light to indicate recording and that she now asks permission from people who are the main focus of a clip. "I make sure anyone who's a main focus in a video is aware they're being recorded," she said, adding that she respects requests not to be on camera and has not posted clips of people who declined.
The controversy has intersected with broader concerns about privacy, consent and the spread of wearable-camera technology. Meta sells the glasses used by the influencer for about $380; they can record short video and are designed to be less obtrusive than handheld cameras or smartphones.
The creator said she chose to protect her identity after seeing other food influencers swarmed by fans and because she received threats after making a controversial joke about the Israel-Gaza conflict. She said maintaining anonymity allows her to "lead a normal life" and "have peace and privacy," and that her aim is to spotlight affordable, mom-and-pop eateries in New York City.
Some restaurant owners who experienced sudden attention after being featured have given mixed responses. The owner of the Chubby Crab in Chinatown said the shop was overwhelmed with orders after a viral video led to a run on its crab, and that he would not have agreed to the feature if he had known he was being filmed. Still, the owner told the Post he was pleased with the increased business and described the creator's videos as part of her "success and charm."
Observers and privacy advocates have pointed to a long-standing tension between content creators' practices and individuals' expectations of privacy in public-facing service roles. Filming in public has been common since the introduction of portable cameras and smartphones, but the proliferation of small, wearable recording devices has renewed debate about consent, notice and the downstream effects of viral clips on people who do not seek online exposure.
The influencer argued her work differs from capturing an unknown person in a brief clip versus recording a public figure whose image will carry broader consequences. "A 10-second clip of someone who isn't known on the Internet is way different than a 10-second clip of me where there's so much connotation of things that can happen," she said, and noted her aim to "ungatekeep" restaurants by highlighting lesser-known spots in the city.
The episode adds to ongoing conversations about the responsibilities of social media creators and the legal and ethical frameworks surrounding recording devices. The creator emphasized that she believes she is being held to a unique standard and asserted that she acts with "good intentions," while critics say greater transparency is required when filming people who have not consented to being featured online.
Representatives for Meta did not comment for this article. The influencer said she continues to adjust her process and policies around recording and posting content as her account evolves.