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Governments, courts and businesses in several countries are restricting or considering limits on camera-equipped smart glasses, as concerns grow that wearers can record people and confidential material without their knowledge. A Reuters factbox published Oct. 6 outlined measures in Australia, Britain, Norway and the United States, alongside scrutiny by European Union privacy bodies.
The measures vary: some are proposals, while others are already in force or being introduced by individual institutions and businesses. Norway is preparing a temporary ban in selected public places; Australia is assessing restrictions in government workplaces; and courts in England and Wales and New York have prohibited certain devices within court facilities.
Norway plans temporary restrictions in public places
Norway’s government plans to propose a temporary ban on AI glasses in places where the public regularly gathers, including parks, beaches, museums, shopping centers and public events. The government has said it will submit a proposal to parliament as soon as possible, but has not yet set out a final list of covered locations or devices.
The proposal is not described as a nationwide prohibition on ownership or private use. Officials have said the measure would target settings where people risk being photographed, filmed or audio-recorded without their knowledge. Norway’s capital, Oslo, separately banned smart glasses in schools in August.
In comments reported by the Associated Press, Norwegian authorities also identified schools, youth clubs, playgrounds and privacy-sensitive facilities such as health-care settings and gyms with changing rooms as possible areas of concern. The government is considering whether exceptions could accommodate beneficial uses for vulnerable groups, while an expert group is expected to advise on longer-term rules for body-worn technology.
Australia considers a workplace ban
Australia’s federal government said in September it was considering prohibiting camera-equipped smart glasses in government workplaces over privacy and security concerns. Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher asked the Australian Public Service Commission to advise whether a ban is warranted and what exemptions might be needed.
The consideration is not yet a nationwide ban, and the government has not announced a decision or implementation timetable. Reuters previously reported that Australia was also consulting major employers, including Microsoft, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra and AGL, on workplace guidance for artificial intelligence.
The proposed workplace restrictions have a different scope from Norway’s contemplated rules: they concern government offices rather than a broad set of public venues. The distinction reflects how authorities are responding through existing institutional controls while weighing whether broader legislation is needed.
Courts, cinemas and EU bodies examine the issue
In Britain, courts in England and Wales have prohibited Meta smart glasses under restrictions on taking images and videos in court. The UK Cinema Association said in August that cinema operators were introducing policies to prohibit or restrict camera-enabled glasses, citing privacy and concerns about film piracy.
In the United States, New York’s Unified Court System barred smart glasses from all its court facilities from July 20. The rule covers prescription and non-prescription eyewear or headwear with cameras, microphones, computers or other technology capable of recording audio or video. Visitors carrying such devices must hand them to court personnel for safekeeping before entering.
At the European Union level, privacy regulators and lawmakers are scrutinizing the technology, but the European Commission has not proposed legislation specifically targeting smart glasses, according to Reuters. The European Data Protection Board has commissioned a report on their “social acceptability,” while member of the European Parliament Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová has urged the Commission to consider possible action.
Rules remain fragmented as scrutiny grows
The measures summarized by Reuters do not amount to a single international policy. They range from proposed government restrictions and existing court rules to private venue policies, and they differ in whether they cover particular brands, recording features, locations or broader categories of wearable devices.
Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses have helped bring camera-equipped smart eyewear into wider public use, Reuters reported, while the devices’ ability to capture photos, video and audio has prompted questions about consent and confidential information. In recent coverage, Meta has said its glasses include a recording indicator and that it advises users to respect other people’s preferences; those assurances have not prevented some businesses and authorities from considering or adopting restrictions.
What comes next remains unsettled. Norway’s government says it will bring its temporary-ban proposal to parliament and establish an expert group to advise on permanent regulation; Australia is awaiting public-service advice. The EU has no specific smart-glasses bill on the table, and the Reuters factbox did not identify a common timetable for further action across the jurisdictions it covered.
