Australia’s eSafety regulator has called on smartglasses manufacturers to implement stronger privacy protections, including automatic face blurring and clearer filming indicators, amid growing concerns over the technology. While devices like Meta’s Ray-Ban smartglasses could assist visually impaired users, the regulator warns companies may prioritize accessibility over safety and privacy risks. The advice comes as public backlash intensifies and pressure mounts on the federal government to consider regulatory action. Industry guidance suggests a tension between innovation and ethical concerns over unchecked surveillance capabilities.
Smartglasses with cameras can benefit the vision impaired but companies might pit ‘accessibility benefits against safety and privacy’, eSafety saysFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s online safety regulator has urged smartglasses companies to automatically blur people’s faces filmed on the devices, and make it clearer when someone is filming, as the federal government faces pressure to ban the technology.In advice to industry published on Monday, the office of the eSafety commissioner warned that while smartglasses with cameras, such as Meta’s Ray-Ban, can offer accessibility benefits to low vision or blind people, companies might pit “accessibility benefits against safety and privacy considerations”, and noted there was already a backlash to the technology. Continue reading...
