Overview
- DuckDuckGo has launched "Normal F***ing Sunglasses," which are designed without any technology, such as cameras or microphones.
- The glasses, produced in collaboration with eyewear brand Knockaround, quickly sold out within a week, prompting plans for a second production run.
- This release follows significant criticism of Meta’s smart glasses regarding privacy issues.
DuckDuckGo has successfully sold out a unique pair of sunglasses that emphasize a lack of technology, with their initial stock disappearing in under a week.
Available since July 30 for $35, the Normal F***ing Sunglasses were developed in partnership with San Diego-based Knockaround. The product page now indicates that the first batch is sold out and invites pre-orders for a subsequent release. DuckDuckGo informed TechSpot that a substantial portion of the inventory was sold, although exact numbers are not yet available.
No camera. No AI. Just Normal Sunglasses.
From DuckDuckGo x @Knockaround.
(Yes, these are actually real. Get a pair here: https://t.co/97UNAZMDCZ) pic.twitter.com/TUu5C81ls2
— DuckDuckGo (@DuckDuckGo) July 30, 2026
These sunglasses are built on Knockaround's Paso Robles frame, featuring a matte black finish, polarized lenses with UV400 protection, FDA-approved impact resistance, and a debossed hard case. The product description highlights their simplicity: "No camera, no microphone, no AI, no battery, no electronics of any kind."
Notably, the glasses are marketed as having an unlimited battery life and operate in a "seamless offline mode," ensuring "zero notifications guaranteed" and a complete lack of surveillance risk.
Meta Faces Scrutiny Amid Privacy Concerns
DuckDuckGo’s humorous product serves as a critique of camera-equipped smart glasses offered by tech giants like Meta and Google.
In a tweet on the day of the launch, the company featured tech journalist Tatum Hunter, who remarked that “instances of individuals using smart glasses in unethical and alarming ways are increasing,” referencing cases of harassment and privacy violations.
Yes, we made our own (camera-free) wearable. But there’s a deeper reason we think camera-enabled glasses deserve serious pushback.
Meta and Google smart glasses open the door to a host of frightening privacy problems. Hands-free recording isn’t worth the risks to our safety and… pic.twitter.com/bU32f7hcKY
— DuckDuckGo (@DuckDuckGo) July 30, 2026
Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses have faced significant backlash online, with many labeling them as “pervert glasses.” A BBC investigation in January revealed instances of women being surreptitiously filmed and videos shared on TikTok, while a Swedish report in February disclosed that workers training Meta's AI were exposed to footage of individuals undressing and using restrooms. This led to a class action lawsuit in March, with the ACLU and 75 other organizations warning against the introduction of facial recognition as a serious societal concern in April. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also initiated an investigation into these technologies in May. Additionally, both DEF CON and Comic Con organizer Monopoly Events have prohibited these devices from their events.
Over the past year, DuckDuckGo has positioned itself as a counterforce to the tech industry's reliance on AI. After polling its users about the integration of AI in search results, approximately nine out of ten indicated they were opposed, leading to the creation of a separate opt-in page for generative AI rather than incorporating it directly into main search results.
Marketing the absence of AI has proven to be a successful strategy for DuckDuckGo. Traffic to its no-AI search page surged threefold after Google revamped its search to prioritize AI responses in May, and has remained 84% above the baseline since then, prompting the company to release No-AI extensions for browsers like Chrome and Firefox.