Top News

• Affordable smart glasses with cameras are becoming popular and selling well in Australia.
• Smart glasses have increased the risk of unintentional photo and video recording of people around them and compromising their privacy.
• The Australian administration is reviewing the privacy issues raised by this technology.

A large number of people are seen on the streets of Australia wearing glasses that allow them to easily record photos and videos of their surroundings. One of the main reasons for this is Kmart. They recently launched affordable glasses with cameras, and they sold out almost immediately. The glasses are from Kmart’s own brand, Anko. They cost just 89 Australian dollars, while similar products from companies like Meta and Ray-Ban start at 337 Australian dollars.

The push to make ‘smart glasses with cameras’ a mainstream consumer trend is coming at a price. This price could be a cost not only to the wearer of the glasses but also to the privacy of those around them. We currently don’t know enough about what happens to the data collected by these devices or who can see the photos they record. That’s why Federal Attorney General Michelle Rowland has asked Australia’s Privacy Commissioner to urgently review the technology. Are current privacy laws strong enough to cope with this new wave of technology?  (Photo courtesy: Pinterest)

Development has been underway for more than a decade

Smart glasses are nothing new. Google introduced ‘Google Glass’ in 2013. At the time, it was a big hit in the media. Many celebrities favored it. However, this early model failed to make a mark in the market. Its technology did not meet expectations and its bulky and protruding design was not liked by the public. To top it off, users were mocked and called ‘glassholes’.

Today’s smart glasses are more attractive. Even inexpensive camera-equipped glasses from retailers like Kmart can do many of the same things as more expensive models, although their functionality may be a bit less or more limited. These glasses, which run on ‘Hessian’ software, contain small cameras that are capable of recording images and video of the user’s field of vision.

Dangers ranging from secret recording to accidents

The most discussed issue is the possibility of using these glasses to secretly record people around or strangers, especially women, in public places. The competition to create content for social media could lead to an increase in incidents such as public teasing, peeping and stalking. Uploading recorded videos online could further increase this risk. In addition, while this technology improves the viewing experience by displaying digital information directly in the user’s line of sight, there is a risk that smart glasses could inadvertently record confidential information or bank account details.