California governor vetoes bill banning use of ‘pervert glasses’ to secretly record people

California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have made it illegal to secretly record people using wearable recording devices. The bill, Senate Bill 1130, was passed by the state legislature but Newsom decided not to sign it. He argued that the legislation defined wearable recording devices too broadly or imprecisely, which could lead to confusion and unintended consequences.

Newsom also noted that the bill included protections that were already in place in California's law. The legislation aimed to make California the first state to regulate smart glasses, similar to countries like Norway that are considering potential bans on such technology. If the bill had passed, violators could have faced fines or prison time, while manufacturers of non-compliant wearables would have faced fines as well.

The bill sought to prevent unauthorized recording in public spaces without explicit consent, as smart glasses with cameras and microphones that continuously listen and record nearby have become increasingly common. Companies like Meta and Snap have sold millions of wearable glasses, while other hardware wearables, such as AI-powered pendants, have also faced mixed reactions.

California State Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, the bill's author, stated that the legislation aimed to address the rapid proliferation of always-listening technology. Critics and consumers have dubbed these wearables "pervert glasses" due to reports of people recording and harassing others. Apple recently announced that its latest Apple Watch software will include an always-listening feature, enabling users to replay a transcript of the last 15 seconds and summarize conversations from the day.