Norway plans temporary ban on smart glasses

Norway is preparing a temporary ban on camera-equipped smart glasses in a wide range of public spaces - parks, beaches, museums, shopping centres, schools, daycare centres, healthcare facilities, gyms and public events - while still permitting private use. The plan, put forward by the digital affairs minister, responds to worries that people could be photographed, filmed or audio-recorded without their knowledge in places where they expect privacy; the Labour-led minority government will seek cross-party support and has commissioned an expert group to draft permanent regulations.

The move sits within a growing global patchwork of limits on such devices: courtrooms, pubs, cinemas and some restaurants in the UK and US already restrict use, and other governments have debated broader bans. The most commercially visible models are Meta’s Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses, which can film, take photos, make calls, play music and run AI features and have sold millions of units since 2023. Meta stresses each camera-equipped pair has a tamper-proof blinking LED and says the company advises users to stop recording if asked. Regulators and advocacy groups cite real incidents - including reports of women filmed without consent and fears of film piracy - as evidence that tighter rules are needed.