UK weighs curbs on smart glasses over hidden filming of women
A UK minister says the government is exploring restrictions on smart glasses, including curbs on who can buy them, after MPs raised alarms about women being filmed covertly. Safeguarding minister Satvir Kaur told the Commons the benefits must be weighed against the harms, while Lib Dem MP Anna Sabine warned that regulating only after it's too late would be a mistake.
The UK government is weighing restrictions on smart glasses — including limits on who's allowed to buy them — after MPs warned the camera-packing eyewear is being used to film women without consent. Safeguarding minister Satvir Kaur told the House of Commons that ministers
are already looking into options to restrict smart glasses in certain settings and restricting the sale to certain users.
The admission came during a Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday led by Liberal Democrat MP Anna Sabine, the party's culture spokesperson. Sabine painted a grim picture of women waking up after nights out to discover videos of themselves circulating online, shot by men wearing the glasses without their knowledge. One of the devices' selling points in ads, she noted, is the ability to
film discreetly.
Kaur didn't rule out a ban outright, saying the technology's upsides have to be measured against the damage it can do. She pointed out that covert filming already breaks the law in places where cameras are banned, such as courtrooms. Beyond that, she said NHS England and the Department for Education are separately examining wearable tech in healthcare and education, where safeguarding and professional rules already apply.
The minister was careful not to write off the hardware entirely. Smart glasses — which can pack built-in cameras, microphones and displays — are
TopicsUK government · Satvir Kaur · Anna Sabine · Liberal Democrats · smart glasses · NHS England · Department for Education · Jason O'Connell
Source: theguardian.com
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