Norway is preparing a temporary ban on using camera-equipped smart glasses in selected public places, as European concerns grow over privacy and wearable AI devices.
The proposed restrictions would target use rather than sales or ownership. Potentially affected locations include parks, beaches, museums, shopping centers, public events, schools, kindergartens, playgrounds and leisure clubs. Healthcare facilities, gyms, changing rooms and showers could also be covered, while universities remain under consideration.
The Norwegian government said it will establish an expert group to assess the technology’s social and legal challenges and recommend a longer-term national framework. The temporary measure is intended to give authorities time to study how wearable cameras should be regulated.
Meta’s Ray-Ban Meta glasses can take photos and record video, make calls, play music and provide AI-powered answers and live translations. The company says a visible light turns on during recording and that the camera stops working if users cover or interfere with the indicator.
However, attempts to bypass the indicator have fueled criticism. The debate has also spread to the Netherlands, where retailers have stopped selling the glasses and the national data protection authority has questioned whether the recording signal is sufficiently clear.
Norway’s move reflects a broader regulatory challenge: protecting people who may be recorded by devices that look like ordinary glasses but combine cameras, microphones and AI.
Source: Jawlah
