The Guardian view on Meta’s smart glasses: regulators must get on the front foot | Editorial
Privacy needs defending against invasive wearable gadgets. So far, businesses are ahead of the government It is not yet clear to what extent Meta’s new smart glasses will live up to the nickname of “pervert glasses” – bestowed in recognition of the obvious appeal of wearable cameras to voyeurs. The past week has seen rising criticism of the devices, which in the UK have been banned by the pub…
Meta's new smart glasses have raised significant concerns about privacy and the potential for misuse. The devices, often referred to as "pervert glasses," have already faced criticism from various organizations such as Wetherspoons, the theatre group ATG, restaurants, schools, and members' clubs. These entities have taken a stand against the invasion of privacy that the glasses represent.
Unfortunately, regulators seem to be lagging behind in addressing these concerns. Reports of women being mistreated have already surfaced, with footage of them being filmed without consent and subsequently uploaded to social media. One case involved a content creator demanding a fee to remove the footage. Image-based sexual abuse and cyberflashing have seen an 11% increase in reported sexual offences in England and Wales, showing how the normalization of smart glasses could facilitate such crimes.
The article questions whether regulators are doing enough to protect individuals from the potential harms of these wearable gadgets. It calls upon them to take a proactive stance before it's too late. If you have thoughts on this matter, the article invites you to submit a response of up to 300 words to be considered for publication in their letters section.
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