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DuckDuckGo Sells 'Normal F***ing Sunglasses' as a Privacy Statement

Priced at $35 with no electronics, the limited-run shades sold rapidly as a satirical critique of AI-enabled smart glasses.

Overview

  • The sunglasses, which went on sale July 30, are a collaboration with Knockaround built on the Paso Robles frame and feature matte-black polarized lenses with UV400 protection.
  • Knockaround’s product page and DuckDuckGo say the glasses contain no camera, microphone, battery, chip, or any electronics and are meant to be plain, non-recording eyewear.
  • DuckDuckGo framed the release as a deliberate jab at smart-glass products that embed cameras and AI assistants and said the point was to highlight that privacy can mean having no sensors at all.
  • Companies reported brisk demand and substantial inventory depletion within days, with multiple outlets saying stock sold out or that a significant portion had been bought.
  • The campaign is mainly symbolic and does not provide technical defense against surveillance, but it reinforces DuckDuckGo’s privacy positioning and could sharpen public debate over wearable cameras and regulation.