The European Union's data watchdog has called for smart glasses to clearly indicate when they are recording, arguing that people around the wearer have the right to know when they are being photographed or filmed.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) issued the non-binding recommendation on Tuesday, amid mounting concerns that the devices are being exploited to covertly film women and girls.
According to the EDPB, the use of smart glasses — which resemble ordinary eyewear but can take photos, record video, make calls and translate text when connected to the internet — raises "serious privacy concerns".
EDPB chair Anu Talus said the glasses need a clear signal when recording, such as "a bright LED, a sound signal or a voice-activated signal, a privacy-friendly notification on a smartphone, or a distinctive design".
"These warnings need to be reliable, hard to ignore and always up to date. Even in public places, bystanders must clearly understand that someone is filming or photographing them," Talus said.
The EDPB warned that the devices carry higher risks in "sensitive" spaces such as schools and hospitals, as well as public locations such as beaches, and raised concerns about children — a group "more vulnerable to covert or intrusive processing of their personal data".
The recommendation comes as several European countries launch campaigns to ban or restrict smart glasses over privacy concerns.
The Norwegian government said last week that it too was worried about privacy violations and wanted a temporary ban on the use of smart glasses in certain public places. The capital, Oslo, had earlier decided to ban camera-equipped glasses in schools.
France's e-Enfance association, which runs a national hotline for victims of online abuse, has also raised the alarm about videos recorded with camera glasses and then shared online.
Last month, French prosecutors said they had opened a criminal investigation following complaints of sexual harassment linked to a social media trend in which smart glasses are used to film women in the street without their consent and post the videos online.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the "Stop Smart Glasses" campaign has launched a petition and urged supporters to contact retailers to stop selling the products. The petition has passed 10,000 signatures, meaning the British government must respond.
