Incident Overview

A US woman, known online as Herculyse, was left distraught after discovering she had been secretly recorded without her consent using Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses. The incident occurred while she was shopping alone in a supermarket. The video was later uploaded to social media by influencer Jose Reyes, sparking significant controversy.

Details of the Encounter

Herculyse recounted the unsettling experience on X (formerly Twitter), explaining that Reyes approached her under the pretense of not speaking fluent English. He complimented her appearance and engaged her in conversation. Unbeknownst to her, Reyes was recording the interaction using smartglasses, which can capture videos and photos discreetly.

Public Reaction and Personal Impact

The revelation of the video’s existence left Herculyse feeling violated and physically sick. She expressed her outrage on social media, emphasizing the invasive nature of such technology. Her post highlighted the potential for misuse of smartglasses, which feature an LED light indicating recording—a detail she did not notice during the encounter.

Reyes’ Admission and Response

As public backlash grew, Reyes admitted in a follow-up video that he often bends rules to increase his viewership and income. He confessed to editing the footage to manipulate the narrative, portraying himself as having walked away after their interaction. This admission further fueled criticism against him.

Platform’s Role and Resolution

Despite Herculyse’s request, Instagram initially refused to remove the video. However, following intense public pressure, Reyes voluntarily deleted it. Herculyse thanked her supporters for their role in raising awareness about such invasive content practices and expressed hope that other victims would receive similar support.