Smashing Security podcast #455: Face off: Meta’s Glasses and America’s internet kill switch

Graham Cluley @ 12:30 am, February 19, 2026  @grahamcluley.com  / grahamcluley Could America turn off Europe’s internet? That’s one of the questions that Graham and special guest James Ball will be exploring as they discuss tech sovereignty. Could Gmail, cloud services, and critical infrastructure really become geopolitical leverage? And is anyone actually building a Plan B? Plus we explore if Meta is quietly plotting to turn its smart glasses into face-recognising surveillance specs? With reports of internal memos suggesting they plan to launch controversial features while everyone’s distracted by political chaos, we ask: is this innovation really wanted by the public… or something far creepier? All of this, and much more, in episode 455 of the award-winning “Smashing Security” podcast with cybersecurity veteran Graham Cluley, joined this week by journalist and author James Ball. Smashing Security #455: Face off: Meta’s Glasses and America’s internet kill switch PLAY 00:00 00:00 00:00 MUTE SETTINGS Host: Graham Cluley:  @grahamcluley.com  @gcluley@mastodon.green  / grahamcluley Guest: James Ball:  @jamesrball.com Episode links: IcedID malware developer fakes his own death to escape the FBI – Risky Business. Sex toys maker Tenga says hacker stole customer information – TechCrunch. Dutch police arrest man for “hacking” after accidentally sending him confidential files – Hot for Security. Meta Plans to Add Facial Recognition Technology to Its Smart Glasses – New York Times. Trading Sovereignty for Scale? The Costs of the US – UK Tech Prosperity Deal – Just Security. Just Mercy – Wikipedia. Just Mercy trailer – YouTube. Bryan Stevenson’s TED talk: We need to talk about an injustice – YouTube. The Residence – Netflix. Smashing Security merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, stickers and stuff) Sponsored by: Vanta – Expand the scope of your security program with market-leading compliance automation… while saving time and money. Smashing Security listeners get $1000 off! Passwork – a reliable secrets manager and password management solution. Adaptive Security – request a custom demo featuring a real CEO deepfake simulation. Support the show: You can help the podcast by telling your friends and colleagues about “Smashing Security”, and leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Join Smashing Security PLUS for ad-free episodes and our early-release feed! Follow us: Follow the show on Bluesky, or join us on the Smashing Security subreddit, or visit our website for more episodes. Thanks: Theme tune: “Vinyl Memories” by Mikael Manvelyan. Assorted sound effects: AudioBlocks. Found this article interesting? Follow Graham Cluley on LinkedIn, Bluesky, or Mastodon to read more of the exclusive content we post. Facebook Law & order Podcast Privacy #Meta #Podcast #Ray-Ban #smart glasses #Smashing Security Graham Cluley Graham Cluley is an award-winning keynote speaker who has given presentations around the world about cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. A veteran of the computer security industry since the early 1990s, he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows, makes regular media appearances, and hosts the popular "Smashing Security" podcast. Follow him on TikTok, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Mastodon, or drop him an email.