Norway is considering a ban on camera-enabled wearable devices, including smart glasses, as part of a broader response to growing concerns over privacy in public spaces.
The proposals would target devices that can record video and audio while connected to the internet, technology that companies including Meta and Snap are already developing.
Minister points to AI and camera convergence
Digitalisation minister Karianne Tung warned of a clear trend towards combining artificial intelligence with cameras and microphones built into everyday objects.
"We must prevent this equipment from being used to monitor other people in public places," she said.
Tung also said the government may ban facial recognition in public places as part of the same push.
Expert group to shape next steps
Tung said she will set up a group of experts to advise on how to protect privacy rights and translate the political concern into concrete rules.
The group's recommendations will be the next concrete milestone, determining whether Norway moves from signalling intent to drafting enforceable legislation.
Backlash already under way
Civil liberties advocates have criticised the wearables as intrusive, and some consumers have taken to calling them "pervert glasses" amid an online backlash against the technology.
Reporting from other outlets has framed the move as part of a wider reaction to camera-equipped headsets and smart spectacles that can work with on-device or cloud based artificial intelligence to analyse what a wearer sees.
Wider implications for device makers
The proposals underline the regulatory pressure building around AI-powered wearables as more companies push into the category.
Meta and Snap have both been developing camera-equipped glasses capable of capturing and processing footage in real time, positioning the devices as a new computing platform.
Should Norway proceed with formal restrictions, it would mark one of the most direct regulatory responses yet to concerns that such devices enable covert surveillance of members of the public who have not consented to being recorded.
The outcome of the expert group's review is likely to be watched closely by regulators in other European countries weighing similar action.
