Battle over 'pervert' AI glasses in Europe's line of sight after scandal

Europe is grappling with a potential backlash over "pervert" AI glasses, following the emergence of secretly recorded footage of girls and women online. Smart glasses, which can capture photos, record videos, and interact with artificial intelligence, have seen a surge in popularity and sales, reaching the millions. Meta, the company behind these devices, has partnered with Kylie Jenner, a member of the Kardashian family and a beauty mogul, to promote the products.

The controversy intensified in Europe this summer, particularly in Britain, where media coverage focused on the "pervert glasses" and reports about Meta's development of facial recognition features. A 17-year-old girl in Britain recounted how a man covertly recorded her and their conversation using smart glasses.

Meta has taken steps to address concerns, such as altering the blinking LED light to indicate recording and discouraging third-party efforts to disable this feature. The company asserts that these investments are already discouraging tampering with the devices.

Meanwhile, Norway's capital Oslo has banned the use of smart glasses in schools, and the European Union is considering regulating their use. France's data protection watchdog, CNIL, has called for vigilance, while a Swedish designer launched a website offering signs and stickers to prohibit smart glasses in venues.

Some lawmakers, such as European Commission member Veronika Cifrova Ostrihonova, have raised concerns about the devices' compliance with data protection and AI regulations. The European Commission noted that national data protection authorities are responsible for monitoring and enforcing privacy rules, and an independent European Data Protection Board is expected to release a report in the autumn examining the social acceptability of these glasses.

Calls for a ban on smart glasses have gained momentum, with a petition in Britain and Ireland garnering over 9,100 signatures. Proponents argue that these devices could lead to widespread surveillance and an invasion of public spaces, as well as potential privacy violations.