Norway announced on Tuesday, October 5 its first proposal for a temporary worldwide ban on AI-powered smart glasses in public spaces, setting the stage for a global debate on privacy and surveillance in the 21st century. The Norwegian government plans to introduce a bill that would prohibit the use of camera-equipped glasses in parks, beaches, museums, shopping centers, schools, daycare centers, healthcare facilities, gyms, and public events.
The proposal, led by Minister of Community and Digital Affairs Torgeir Micaelsen, reflects growing concern across Europe about how wearable surveillance technology can undermine privacy expectations in public spaces.
"I am worried that new, powerful technologies are being introduced where people risk being photographed, filmed, or having their audio recorded without knowing it," Micaelsen told the newspaper Dagsavisen. "We do not want a society where people worry about being recorded without their knowledge, photographed or filmed in places and situations where they are accustomed to not being monitored."
The Norwegian proposal does not ban the private use of glasses — Norwegian citizens will still be able to use the devices in their own homes and on regular streets. The restriction applies specifically to spaces where individuals have reasonable expectations of privacy, including areas where children attend educational institutions and daycare centers, healthcare establishments, facilities where data security is critical, and spaces where unauthorized recording has been the subject of reports.
Minister Micaelsen emphasized that the measure is temporary, a "reflective pause" approach that allows the Norwegian government to gather evidence on the actual impacts of the technology before implementing permanent regulation. The Labour Party, which leads a minority government, needs the support of other parties to pass the ban in parliament. The proposal states that an expert group will be appointed to draft permanent regulations on the issue.
A global phenomenon
Norway is the latest of several countries to consider restrictions on smart glasses. In Australia, the federal government under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is evaluating a similar ban in government offices and service centers — which would be the first ban of its kind in the world. The Australian proposal follows moves by local councils across the country that are already restricting the use of the technology in public spaces, citing privacy concerns.
In France, the child protection group E-enfance reported receiving about 20 reports this year of women being filmed without their knowledge using camera-equipped smart glasses, mostly Meta glasses. The group said the incidents often followed the same pattern: a young girl or woman approached in a public place, filmed without her knowledge, with the clip then posted on social media in the form of a prank or street interview.
The United States has a fragmented approach. The Air Force banned Meta glasses since February 2026 due to operational security (OPSEC) concerns, while other services adopted distinct policies. California, the largest market for Meta glasses, recently rejected legislation that would have penalized citizens for using smart glasses to film people without permission in locker rooms, medical offices, and other spaces considered private.
In the United Kingdom, restaurants and pubs have already imposed informal bans on the use of the glasses, with chains like Wetherspoon stating they do not want customers using the devices. Cinemas introduced policies to ban or restrict the use of smart glasses, citing both privacy concerns and film piracy.
The market and Meta's response
Meta, manufacturer of Ray-Ban Meta glasses and Oakley glasses equipped with AI, has sold at least nine million pairs of Ray-Ban since the beginning of 2023. The company defends the glasses as useful devices for listening to music, making phone calls, and getting live translations.
Each pair of glasses is equipped with a tamper-proof LED light that blinks white when the user is recording or taking photographs. Meta advises users: "Not everyone loves being photographed. Stop recording if someone expresses that they would rather you not."
A Meta spokesperson said: "We're excited that our glasses continue to be very popular for listening to music, making calls, or getting live translations, so we're continuing to expand styles and features around the world. Every pair with a camera has a bright light on the front that blinks when you take a photo or video. It can't be turned off and the camera is disabled if someone covers or tampers with it — something smartphones and other cameras don't have."
The ongoing debate
The Norwegian ban raises fundamental questions about the balance between technological innovation and privacy rights in a world where surveillance has become increasingly invisible. While smart glasses offer innovative functionalities that transform how we interact with our environment, the ability to record discreetly raises ethical questions that existing legislation has failed to address adequately.
The pattern of fragmented restrictions across different countries and jurisdictions suggests that global regulation of smart glasses will be a gradual process, with each country trying to find the right balance between fostering innovation and protecting individual rights. Norway's temporary approach — a "reflective pause" rather than a permanent ban — may serve as a model for other countries seeking to address the same challenge.
As technology companies continue to push the boundaries of miniaturization and embedded artificial intelligence, society faces the challenge of establishing clear boundaries for the use of these devices in shared spaces. The question is not whether the technology will evolve — it is already here — but how we will collectively decide where to draw the line between legitimate innovation and undue surveillance.
Sources: The Guardian, TimesLive (Reuters), DefenseScoop
✓ Independent sources cross-checked and verified before publishing
