Norway Proposes Temporary Ban on Smart Glasses in Public

· Tech · Norway · Australia

Norway's government said it wants a temporary ban on the use of smart glasses in certain public places, citing privacy concerns, notably recording images without the knowledge of those filmed. The ban could apply to parks, beaches, museums, shopping centres, schools, daycare centres, healthcare facilities, gyms and more. The proposal adds to a growing global debate: governments, courts and companies are considering restrictions on smart glasses amid worries the technology, brought to the mainstream by Meta's Ray-Bans, could be used to secretly photograph or record people and confidential materials. Australia's privacy regulator opened an investigation into China-based Shenzhen Qingcheng, the app maker behind the HeyCyan app in Kmart smartglasses.

Why it matters：As camera-equipped glasses spread, regulators worldwide are weighing privacy protections that could set rules for how wearable technology is used in public spaces.

Key points

  • Norway proposes a temporary ban covering parks, beaches, schools, gyms and more.
  • Governments, courts and companies are weighing restrictions on smart glasses amid privacy worries.
  • Australia's privacy regulator is investigating the HeyCyan app maker behind Kmart smartglasses.

Sources (original reporting)

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