UK government considers restricting smart glasses over secret filming concerns

The UK government is considering restrictions on smart glasses amid concerns the technology is being used to surreptitiously film women, a minister has said.

Government position

Speaking in the House of Commons, the safeguarding minister, Satvir Kaur, said the government was already looking into options to restrict smart glasses in certain settings and restricting the sale to certain users.

"The benefits of smart glasses must be weighed against the harms they can cause. The government is already looking into options to restrict smart glasses in certain settings and restricting the sale to certain users," Kaur said.

Kaur said people who used smart glasses for filming already risked breaking the law in certain settings, such as in a court where cameras are prohibited. She added that other settings, such as healthcare and education, have existing safeguarding or professional policies relevant to smart glasses and any kind of digital recording. NHS England and the Department for Education are currently looking into wearable technology in certain settings.

Parliamentary debate

Anna Sabine, a Liberal Democrat MP and a culture spokesperson for the party, who held Wednesday’s debate, said: "Women are reporting waking up after nights out to find videos of themselves have gone viral online, filmed without their knowledge or consent by men wearing smart glasses."

She said one of the selling points of the glasses in advertisements was that they could be used "to film discreetly". Sabine said she did not want parliamentarians to "only regulate once it is too late".

Benefits and industry response

Kaur said smart glasses, which can come with built-in cameras, microphones and displays, could "be hugely beneficial" to some people. "For example, for those that are visually impaired, smart glasses have been a gamechanger, helping them navigate the world around them."

A Meta spokesperson said: "People use our glasses because they’re helpful and let them stay in the moment, from listening to music to live translation or hands-free calls. They were built to be noticed, which is why every pair with a camera has a bright light on the front that blinks when you take a photo or video. It cannot be turned off and the camera is disabled if someone covers or tampers with it."

Why it matters

• The government is considering restricting smart glasses in certain settings and limiting sales to certain users.
• Concerns centre on covert filming of women and girls without consent.
• NHS England and the Department for Education are examining wearable technology in certain settings.
• Meta says its camera-equipped glasses have a front light that blinks during recording and cannot be turned off.

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Sources

• theguardian.com: UK government considers smart glasses ban over secret filming concerns | Technology policy | The Guardian
• mezha.net: UK considers restrictions on smart glasses amid concerns over covert filming
• ua.news: UK considers smart glasses restrictions — The Guardian | UA.NEWS

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.