Norway seeks temporary smart glasses ban over public privacy fears

Norway will ask parliament to back a temporary ban on smart glasses in selected public places. The move aims to protect privacy while officials decide how far longer-term rules should go.

In Short

• Officials want time to define covered devices and assess lasting rules
• Exemptions may be considered for vulnerable users and beneficial social applications
• Schools, playgrounds and youth clubs are central to proposed safeguards

Norway's government plans to ask parliament to approve a temporary ban on the use of smart glasses in some places, as concern grows over devices that can take photos, record conversations or stream video in public without others knowing. The proposal is aimed at balancing the promise of the technology with the privacy risks it poses.

The government said the proposal will be sent to the Storting "as soon as possible". It stressed that it is not seeking a total ban, but wants time to decide which devices should be covered and whether permanent rules are needed. It is also considering exceptions for vulnerable groups so that what it called "socially beneficial uses" of smart glasses can be allowed in some cases.

A key issue is where the line should be drawn. Norwegian authorities said a ban could apply in places where privacy is especially important, including healthcare facilities and fitness centres with changing rooms and showers. A major focus is on spaces where children gather, such as schools, kindergartens, playgrounds and youth clubs.

The proposed restrictions could also cover public concerts and sports events, as well as parks, beaches, museums and shopping centres. The move reflects wider concern in many countries about technologies that are changing daily life, with some governments already having restricted social media use by children and young teenagers.

Adam Smith, a technology advocacy officer at Britain-based Privacy International, said Norway's step was "a welcome protection against big tech's greedy attempts to extract ever more data, often in absence of any thought for the privacy or rights of others." He added: "No reality exists in which people expect to be secretly surveilled going about their daily lives."

Elsewhere, attempts to regulate the technology have faced setbacks. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom last week vetoed legislation that would have penalised the use of smart glasses to record people without their permission in places such as changing rooms, doctors' offices and other spaces people generally consider private.

Meta, which has launched AI glasses with eyewear brand Ray-Ban, says it encourages respect for privacy and advises users to act responsibly. "Respect people's preferences. Not everyone loves being photographed. Stop recording if anyone expresses that they would rather you not," the company said on its site. Meta also said a light on the glasses shows when recording is under way, and if the device detects that the light has been blocked or physically tampered with, the camera is automatically disabled.

Despite those assurances, privacy groups point to growing opposition to AI glasses. Hans Anders, a major eyewear retailer in the Netherlands, has suspended sales of Ray-Ban Meta glasses. "This decision follows the ongoing public and political debate surrounding smart glasses and the questions being raised about the conditions under which this technology can be used," the retailer said, adding that it would wait for the outcome of the debate before making a final decision. In Britain, the UK Cinema Association said in August that it was bringing in policies to prohibit or restrict camera-enabled smart glasses over concerns about privacy and film piracy. Norway's proposal now places that debate at the centre of a wider push to decide where such devices can be used and on what terms.

With PTI Inputs

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