England and Wales Courts Ban Meta Smart Glasses Over Recording Risks

Meta smart glasses have been banned from courts in England and Wales due to concerns over covert recording capabilities. Security staff are instructed to confiscate the devices upon entry, which will only be returned upon exit. This decision comes after a similar ban was announced by New York's court system. HMCTS, the organization overseeing courts in England and Wales, stated that the use of Meta glasses is prohibited due to the potential for unauthorized images or videos to be taken inside court buildings, which is illegal and can result in legal penalties.

Smartphones remain permitted, but HMCTS is not extending the same exception to smart glasses because they can record while being worn. The ban comes amid growing scrutiny of wearable cameras in public spaces, with Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses specifically raising concerns about recording proceedings without obvious signs that recording is taking place.

This judicial crackdown is part of a wider societal pushback against wearable cameras, with various venues banning the glasses due to privacy concerns. Meta sold roughly 7 million pairs of these glasses last year, but the court bans highlight a conflict between the glasses' core utility—seamless, hands-free recording—and the social and legal need for ambient consent.