Overview
- DuckDuckGo partnered with Knockaround to produce the Paso Robles sunglasses, marketing them as having no camera, no microphone, no battery, no AI and no electronics of any kind.
- The matte black, polarized frames carry UV400 protection, cost $35 and are sold through Knockaround's site as a limited‑edition, tongue‑in‑cheek product.
- A DuckDuckGo representative told CNET that a significant percentage of the available inventory has already sold, though full sales figures have not been released.
- Coverage and social response have treated the launch as a marketing stunt and a satire of smart eyewear, with outlets and users highlighting the joke and publications such as The Onion amplifying the gag.
- The product is symbolic rather than technical: it does not detect or block cameras, but it positions DuckDuckGo against pricier, camera‑equipped smart glasses that critics say can record people without clear notice.