EU watchdog urges smart glasses to clearly signal when recording

By Al Jazeera Staff and AFP. Published On 13 Oct 202613 Oct 2026.

Key points

• In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a "Stop Smart Glasses" campaign has introduced a petition and call for supporters to contact stores to stop their sale.
• "These warnings need to be reliable, hard to ignore, and always up to date, " remarked Talus.
• The advisory comes against the backdrop of campaigns in a number of European countries to ban or restrict smart glasses over privacy reservations.
• Norway's administration stated last week it was additionally worried concerning privacy invasions and wants a temporary ban on the employ of smart glasses in certain public places.
• It operates the national hotline for victims of online abuse, has additionally sounded the alarm concerning videos recorded with camera-equipped glasses and shared online.

For context, the European Union's data watchdog has pressed smart glasses to clearly show when they are recording, saying bystanders have the right to know when they are being photographed or filmed.

In practice, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) issued the non-binding recommendation on Tuesday, against the backdrop of mounting concern concerning the devices being applied to secretly record girls and women.

It remarked the apply of smart glasses – which can resemble ordinary glasses but additionally take photos and videos, produce phone calls and translate text when connected to the internet – raises "serious privacy concerns".

EDPB chair Anu Talus remarked the glasses should have clear signals when they are recording, such as "bright LED lights, audio signals or voice activation cues, privacy-friendly smartphone notifications, or unique designs".

"These warnings need to be reliable, hard to ignore, and always up to date, " remarked Talus. "Even in public spaces, bystanders should clearly understand that someone is filming or photographing them."

As well as public spots like beaches, and triggered concern regarding children who are "more vulnerable to covert or intrusive processing of their personal data", the EDPB cautioned, the devices carry greater risks in "sensitive" spaces like schools and hospitals.

For context, the advisory comes against the backdrop of campaigns in a number of European countries to ban or restrict smart glasses over privacy reservations.

Norway's administration stated last week it was additionally worried concerning privacy invasions and wants a temporary ban on the employ of smart glasses in certain public places. The capital Oslo already opted to ban glasses equipped with cameras in schools.

France's e-Enfance association. It operates the national hotline for victims of online abuse, has additionally sounded the alarm concerning videos recorded with camera-equipped glasses and shared online.

Last month, French prosecutors remarked they had opened a criminal probe ⁠after sexual harassment complaints related to a social media trend of using smart glasses to film women on the street, without their consent, and posting the videos online.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a "Stop Smart Glasses" campaign has introduced a petition and call for supporters to contact stores to stop their sale. It reached more than 10, 000 signatures. It means the UK administration must respond.

Taken together, the developments around EU watchdog urges smart glasses to clearly signal when recording point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.