智能眼镜遭遇隐私围剿：挪威拟立法禁入公共场所

While manufacturers bet on AI-powered eyewear becoming the next major consumer device category, public concerns over privacy and covert recording have been mounting, fuelling calls for tighter restrictions. Last month, Norway’s Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance proposed legislation calling for a temporary ban on AI glasses in selected public spaces including schools, playgrounds, shopping centres and health facilities, amid concerns that people could be filmed or recorded without their knowledge. The government also outlined plans to appoint an expert group to advise on longer-term national regulation. Meanwhile in the UK, smart glasses have been prohibited in courtrooms since August. Public venues in London including pubs, theatres and cinemas have also begun rolling out restrictions on the devices over concerns about covert filming and piracy. According to experts, Norway’s proposal could serve as an early litmus test of how governments tackle the issue. Flora Tang, principal analyst at Counterpoint Research, told Mobile World Live ( MWL ) that the country’s proposal “reflects a broader international shift towards tighter oversight of camera-equipped AI glasses, although the regulatory response remains fragmented and varies significantly across markets”. Ben Hatton, market analyst at FDM CCS Insight added that “while Norway’s proposed legislation is the most advanced of these restrictions, many other countries – most notably in the EU and Australia – are monitoring and assessing the products”. Tang pointed to mounting scrutiny and early restrictions across the US, Australia, UK, South Korea and Singapore, but argued this does not amount to a move towards a global ban. Instead, governments, businesses and public institutions are “increasingly introducing restrictions to address privacy, covert recording and surveillance concerns”. Misuse or design flaw? In some analysts’ view, the concerns triggered by the rise of smart glasses could be a fundamental design flaw. For Francisco Jeronimo, VP of devices at IDC, much of the backlash is “not necessarily because of the technology, but because of the misuse of the technology”. He argued the distinction between glasses and smartphones is that the latter generally make recording more visible. Even where glasses have an LED recording indicator, he added, people nearby may not notice it. Jeronimo also pointed to examples of users tampering with recording lights to conceal when footage is being captured. He said manufacturers must ensure glasses cease working if those indicators are interfered with, although he questioned whether technical safeguards alone would be enough. “I think there needs to be some sort of legislation,” he said, suggesting fines or criminal penalties could apply to people recording in prohibited locations. Hatton likewise identified tampering as a weakness in existing safeguards, adding that issue is “much harder to monitor and regulate”. For instance, Meta has begun to disable glasses that have had the light deactivated and developed software patches to prevent cameras from being used when the light is covered or tampered with, he explained. But he believes manufacturers will need to go further. Automatic face-blurring is “another important feature for manufacturers to consider in smart glasses”. Audio alerts and other measures could also become more important as regulators consider how to make recording more transparent. He added that FDM CCS Insight predicts “camera in use” indicators will become mandatory on wearable devices sold in the EU by 2028. In September, Meta also launched Ray-Ban Meta Audio, a camera-free product aimed at consumers concerned about privacy. However, Tang noted removing or limiting camera capabilities “inevitably involve trade-offs between privacy and functionality”. Doing so “would reduce privacy risks, but it would also limit visual AI features and high-value use cases such as first-person content capture”, she argued. Indeed, the privacy debate comes as technology companies look to make glasses a more convenient way to interact with AI. Rather than taking out a phone, users could ask an integrated smart glasses assistant to identify an object, translate a menu or provide information about a building or place. Both Jeronimo and Tang see potential for cameras to be used for contextual recognition without necessarily taking or storing photos and videos of other people. Such an approach could make the technology less intrusive while retaining some of its AI value. “Given the diversity of user preferences, we believe the most effective approach for OEMs is to develop differentiated product portfolios, including both camera-equipped and camera-free models, to address the varying needs and privacy expectations of different consumer segments,” Tang stated. Market outlook Meta Platforms currently holds a substantial lead in the segment, helped by its partnership with EssilorLuxottica and the Ray-Ban bra