Norway will become the first country to impose a temporary ban on smart specs, and an “informed debate” will determine the future of Meta Ray-Bans and other “kinky glasses”
- The Norwegian government plans to ban the use of smart glasses in public spaces
- These include parks, beaches, museums, gyms.
- While the ban is temporary, Norway’s government wants to introduce permanent legislation in the future.
Norway has become the first country to propose a temporary ban on smart glasses with cameras and artificial intelligence technology in public spaces, amid growing privacy concerns.
Ars Technica reports that the Norwegian government is proposing a blanket ban in select public spaces where it believes people are vulnerable to being recorded without their consent. It follows this week’s news that Dutch eyewear retailer Hans Anders has removed Meta Ray-Ban glasses from more than 400 stores.
Places where smart glasses would be banned include parks, beaches, museums, schools, daycares, shopping malls, healthcare facilities, gyms and public events. Private use of smart glasses would still be allowed, for example at the user’s home.
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Initially, the ban would be temporary, but it appears that Norway’s government is determined to implement some form of permanent restriction in the near future and will enlist the help of a group of experts to draft the legislation.
Explaining the reasons for the proposals, Norway’s Digitalisation Minister Torgeir Micaelsen said: “I am concerned about the introduction of powerful new technologies where people risk being photographed, filmed or recorded without their knowledge.”
He added that a temporary ban “will [us] “It is time for a thorough assessment and informed debate that can lay the groundwork for permanent regulation.”
For the ban to be passed, the ruling Labor Party will need the support of opposition parties as it does not have an overall majority in Norway’s parliament, but says it is determined to introduce the bill “as soon as possible”.
Smart glasses have sparked a number of bans by authorities and companies in several countries, with most agreeing that they are an unsatisfactory approach. Norway’s broader approach would be the first and could serve as a model for other countries that want to introduce bans or other restrictions.
The Australian government recently announced that the use of smart glasses will be banned in federal workspaces, service centers and council buildings, and is considering banning their use in public areas. The City of Sydney joined forces with four other councils and promised to ban smart glasses in public swimming pools, gyms, childcare centers, libraries and other spaces.
Localized bans have also been introduced in other countries. In the UK, pub chain Wetherspoons and some restaurants have individual restrictions on the use of smart glasses, and UK cinema chains could soon follow (although in that case the concerns revolve around piracy rather than privacy).
One of the biggest concerns with smart glasses is that while they have a light to indicate when video footage is being recorded, users have been able to disable or cover them. In an effort to counter this, Meta released an update to stop privacy hackers, introducing a tool that prevents smart glasses from recording video when the LED is blocked.
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