Museums, festivals and clubs in Groningen ban smart glasses

On Friday, approximately 30 cultural organizations in Groningen issued a joint statement banning the use of smart glasses within their institutions and during their events. These glasses, often produced by Meta, appear normal but possess the ability to covertly record video and photographs. The cultural organizations argue that the technology infringes upon the privacy and safety of visitors, employees, and artists, thereby undermining the principle of an open and respectful environment.

Organizations such as the Groninger Archieven, the Groninger Museum, Noorderlicht, Stichting Kunst & Cultuur, and the Grand Theatre Groningen are among the supporters of this ban.

Just last week, eyewear retailer Hans Anders announced it would cease selling Meta smart glasses following advocacy from privacy advocates alarmed by the potential misuse, colloquially known as "pervert glasses." The Dutch privacy watchdog AP cautioned that sharing images captured with these glasses breaches GDPR if permission hasn't been granted by everyone visible in the image.

Similarly, the consumer watchdog Consumentenbond has issued a warning about the glasses, pointing out the possibility of manipulating or obscuring the indicator light to make it harder to detect image capture.

Calls for a complete ban on smart glasses have emerged from some MPs, although the cabinet opposes such a blanket measure and instead seeks additional restrictions. Utrecht's music venue Tivoli Vredenburg had previously banned smart glasses at its events in 2025, subsequently barring entry to an individual who refused to remove them. Despite the lack of a direct quote from a named speaker, the joint statement from the Groningen cultural organizations provides a comprehensive overview of the issue at hand.