UK government considers smart glasses ban over secret filming concerns

The UK government is contemplating restrictions on the sale of smart glasses due to concerns over their potential use in surreptitiously filming women, a safeguarding minister has stated. Satvir Kaur, the minister responsible for safeguarding, suggested that the government is exploring options to limit the sale of smart glasses to certain users, emphasizing the need to balance the benefits of the technology with the potential harms it can cause.

Kaur noted that individuals using smart glasses for recording have already potentially violated the law in specific settings, such as courts where cameras are banned. She added that other environments, including healthcare and education, already have established safeguarding or professional policies related to smart glasses and other digital recording devices.

Anna Sabine, a Liberal Democrat MP and culture spokesperson, highlighted recent reports of women discovering videos of themselves circulating online without their consent, captured by men wearing smart glasses during nights out. Sabine argued that these devices pose risks to public safety and privacy while raising significant questions about consent.

She criticized the marketing of smart glasses for discreet filming as a concerning aspect. Kaur acknowledged that smart glasses, equipped with cameras, microphones, and displays, could offer substantial benefits to specific individuals, such as those with visual impairments who find them invaluable for navigation. Despite this, Kaur stressed the importance of preventing potentially harmful misuse by restricting sales to certain users.

A politician in the Senedd defended his use of smart glasses during debates, reading a speech from the in-built teleprompter feature in his glasses, discussing how it helped him overcome the habit of constantly looking down at his notes.