Do you have smart glasses?

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has issued guidelines stating that individuals should be clearly informed when being recorded by smart glasses. According to the European Data Protection Board's statement, accepted this week at its plenary session in Brussels, users who post recordings made with smart glasses on public profiles on social media or use them for business and political purposes must comply with data protection rules. This document marks the first time preliminary guidance is given to users, manufacturers, and service providers. "Individuals deserve clear warnings, not unpleasant surprises," said EDPB Chairperson Ana Talus. The statement notes that recording family members or friends for private purposes generally falls under the so-called home exception, but applicable criminal, civil, labor, or other regulations can still apply. Recording should be visibly noticeable, for example through bright LED lights, audio signals, voice alerts, or notifications on a smartphone. These warnings must be reliable and easily noticeable. Responsibility of manufacturers and service providers People around someone should know when they are being recorded in public spaces, and manufacturers and providers of related applications and services cannot shift their responsibilities onto users. Any new processing of personal data must align with the original purpose of its collection. The statement encourages the development of industry standards and awareness measures to ensure people understand when smart glasses are used and how their data is processed. Greater risks for children and sensitive locations The statement warns that smart glasses can record people without their knowledge, with greater risks in sensitive areas such as hospitals, schools, and workplaces, especially when recordings are shared on social networks. Children are particularly vulnerable, whether they themselves use the glasses or are recorded by others. "These devices look like ordinary glasses, but they have cameras and microphones and are connected to the internet," said Talus. Alongside the statement, a report titled "Connected Vision: Video Recording, Surveillance, and Evidence Collection in the Age of Smart Glasses" was published. Prepared by an external expert in digital sociology on behalf of the EDPB, following a proposal by the French data protection authority, the report explores user experiences and how people who are recorded perceive the associated risks. Results show that smart glasses are sometimes used to monitor others and gather evidence against them, and those who wear them and know how to use them have an advantage over those being recorded, often without their knowledge. The European Data Protection Board has warned that smart glasses raise significant questions regarding the protection of personal data and individual rights and freedoms. Core criticism from data protection authorities is that these devices look like regular glasses but contain cameras and microphones and are connected to the internet, according to EDPB Chairperson Ana Talus. "This raises serious concerns regarding privacy, as individuals can be recorded without their knowledge." Particular concern among data protection authorities is the use of surveillance glasses in sensitive environments such as hospitals, schools, and workspaces. Risks increase further when recordings are used in social networks. Clear marking required One of the main challenges posed by these devices is transparency. Uninvolved parties might not immediately recognize that they are dealing with a device capable of making audio and video recordings and connected to the network. "Due to their inconspicuous appearance and usage, it is possible that bystanders are not aware that their personal data is being processed, and also not by whom and for what purposes," states the notice. EDPB Chairperson Ana Talus therefore calls for clear identification: Intelligent glasses should make their recording activity clearly visible, for instance, using bright LED lights, audio signals, verbal activation prompts, data-friendly smartphone notifications, or unique designs. These warnings must be reliable, difficult to ignore, and always up-to-date. In public spaces, bystanders should clearly understand that someone is filming or photographing them. When it comes to privacy, people deserve clear warnings, not hidden surprises. The first explanation from the committee regarding the glasses aims to provide users, manufacturers, and service providers with provisional guidelines while simultaneously sharpening awareness of the risks associated with these products. "The scissors in the head" through surveillance glasses In this explanation, the data protection board goes deeper into threats to privacy. For example, data protection authorities warn of a kind of "scissors in the head" that could potentially divide the perception of reality and create confusion.