TikToker faces police probe over secret filming using 'smart glasses'

A TikToker known as Margerison has come under police scrutiny following allegations of secretly filming individuals using smart glasses equipped with hidden cameras. The incident unfolded during a recent road trip through parts of Scotland, where Margerison, a 42-year-old man, used a white Ford Transit van to travel between several remote locations, including Dunoon, Glencoe, John O'Groats, Skye, Uist, Barra, and Lewis. During these visits, Margerison allegedly engaged in covert recordings of unsuspecting individuals, primarily focusing on young women and members of ethnic minority groups. In one instance, Margerison was captured on camera making sexually suggestive remarks about two teenagers while driving onto a small CalMac ferry. He then activated his Meta smart glasses, which include miniature cameras, exited his vehicle, and conversed with the teenagers and their parents. The entire interaction appears to have occurred without the knowledge or consent of those present. In the same video, Margerison also directed an unprovoked verbal attack toward another ferry passenger, using a strong expletive. Another troubling encounter took place on Skye, where Margerison approached a UK-born Sikh shopkeeper of Indian descent. He expressed views aligned with far-right conspiracy theories, referencing the Kalergi Plan, a false narrative suggesting a deliberate effort to "breed out the white race." The shopkeeper, who was managing the store alongside her teenage daughter, responded politely, noting that Margerison’s remarks were "slightly derogatory." When Margerison left, he described the shopkeeper as "condescending" in his video commentary and lamented that "they don’t understand." The shopkeeper, who has resided in Skye for two decades and was born in London, stated that Margerison had initiated the conversation by asking, "What are you doing here?" However, this part of the dialogue was removed from the published version of the video. She described the encounter as "100% intimidating," adding that she cried upon learning from a friend that a secretly filmed video had been shared on TikTok. She felt "made to feel very small" by the experience and noted that the local community is generally kind, making the incident especially distressing. During his travels in the Hebrides, Margerison also filmed an argument with an elderly couple in a supermarket. After they reportedly complained that he had "loudly and rudely" asked them to move aside, Margerison followed them throughout the store, at times obstructing their path. He swore in front of them, accused them of being "mental," and threatened to share the footage on TikTok, claiming it was "well within my rights." This pattern of behavior has drawn comparisons to similar incidents involving other individuals who have secretly recorded young women and posted the videos online, sometimes demanding payment to remove them. Such actions have prompted complaints from attendees at events like Comic Con cosplay gatherings, where secret recording has led to claims of privacy violations, harassment, and body shaming. As a result, Monopoly Events, which organizes major comic and entertainment conventions in the UK, has prohibited the use of Meta glasses at its events. Meta, the company behind the smart glasses, has stated it is actively investigating Margerison’s accounts and has since blocked one of them. A spokesperson emphasized that the glasses are designed with privacy features to ensure user trust. Recently, Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, acknowledged that some users attempted to disable the flashing light on the glasses, though newer updates make such attempts ineffective. Following these developments, Instagram has suspended all of Margerison’s accounts. TikTok has also distanced itself from the content, stating it does not allow material that violates its policies.