Privacy

Nah, nobody gave a shit about privacy back then, just like they don't give a shit about it today. The problem was just that most people "understood" what spy glasses were because they'd seen them in movies, and the media just stoked the flames of controversy because it led to easy clicks.

Walking into a public bathroom with glasses like that on your face seems creepier than walking in with a phone in your hand, even though it's much easier to discretely record with the phone (and in much higher quality).

Although Meta's case is different. If I see someone with those glasses on, I may give the individual the benefit of the doubt and trust that they're not recording me, but I sure as shit am not giving Meta the benefit of the doubt and trusting that they're not going to record without the user's knowledge/consent. They wouldn't let a chance to capture free data pass them by.