UK government considers smart glasses ban over secret filming concerns

The UK government is weighing restrictions on smart glasses amid reports that people are using their discreet cameras to film women without their knowledge or consent. Safeguarding minister Satvir Kaur told MPs that officials are considering limits on where the devices can be used and whether sales should be restricted for certain users; no ban has been announced. Kaur said recording with the glasses may already break rules in places such as courts, while healthcare and education have safeguarding and professional policies that may apply. NHS England and the Department for Education are examining wearable technology in some settings.

The debate was prompted by Liberal Democrat MP Anna Sabine, who warned that women have found videos filmed on nights out circulating online without their consent. She argued that advertising which promotes discreet filming heightens the risks to privacy and safety in public spaces, and that lawmakers should act before harms become widespread. Kaur also stressed that the technology can be valuable: glasses with cameras, microphones and displays have helped visually impaired people navigate their surroundings. The controversy extends to political use: a Reform UK member of the Welsh Senedd recently used an in-built teleprompter to deliver a speech, saying it helped him look up rather than down at notes. The central question is how to protect privacy without removing useful applications.