French Authorities Intensify Scrutiny of Smart Glasses
French prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into suspected sexual harassment involving smart glasses, following complaints linked to the use of camera-equipped devices to record women in public without their consent. The Paris prosecutor’s cybercrime unit has also tested smart glasses to better understand how the technology could be used to facilitate potential crimes. Meta, whose smart glasses made with EssilorLuxottica dominate the global market, said it had built privacy protections into the devices and would continue strengthening them.
The scrutiny extends beyond France, with the country’s data protection authority CNIL receiving complaints about smart glasses being used in workplaces and being increasingly contacted by businesses considering restrictions on their use. In Germany, a consumer advocacy group has filed a criminal complaint against Meta and other companies over alleged privacy violations, while some cinemas in the UK have banned the devices. Australia is also considering restrictions on camera-equipped smart glasses in government workplaces over privacy and security concerns.
The growing concerns centre on the difficulty of obtaining consent when recording can happen discreetly in public spaces. Although the glasses use a small indicator light to signal when recording is taking place, rights groups argue that this does not constitute consent and places too much responsibility on people being filmed. Under EU rules including the GDPR and AI Act, the devices face data and privacy requirements, while French law provides penalties for recording a person in a private setting without consent. Rights advocates have particularly highlighted risks to women and other groups vulnerable to technology-facilitated harassment and surveillance.
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