Source: Boing Boing
Meta's patent for an emotion-detecting wearable is a direct play to monetize affective data—capturing not just what you do or say, but how you feel saying it. This creates a new asset class for ad targeting and algorithmic manipulation. The always-on listening requirement bypasses explicit opt-in, embedding surveillance into the device layer where users expect intimacy (wrist-worn, audio-capturing). This escalates surveillance capitalism from behavioral prediction to emotional prediction, enabling advertisers and Meta to intervene at moments of vulnerability rather than merely responding to expressed intent.