A realistic 'severed human head' installation in a Soho street has shocked Londoners, but it is part of a campaign warning about the privacy implications of camera-equipped smart glasses.
The display, installed by Even Realities, features lifelike heads mounted above a shopfront, staring down at passers-by. It aims to confront people with the prospect of being recorded by someone wearing such devices.
Public reaction to the installation
The installation, dubbed 'Severed Head in a Blue Cap', was shared on social media account @itsallmaad, where it has already garnered 100,000 views. The clip shows the realistic heads overlooking the street.
Viewers reacted with a mix of humour and concern. One person commented: "Usually love all eyes on me, but this is taking the mick." Another joked: "This is how the average Meta glasses wearer looks." A third added: "Sleep paralysis demon."
Campaign calls for regulation
Some viewers shared gifs referencing Black Mirror, The Terminator, and Big Brother, while others speculated it was an early Halloween prank. One person noted a resemblance to US President Donald Trump.
Will Wang, founder and CEO of Even Realities, said the stunt is not about scary fictional characters. He published an open letter titled 'No More Camera Glasses', calling on tech bosses, policymakers, and industry leaders to debate the future of camera-equipped smart glasses.
Wang said: "Smart glasses don't need cameras now. While there are benefits in how they enable devices to collate visual context, the privacy trade-offs – for both the user and those around them – mean cameras should never have progressed past the blueprint without proper guardrails."
