Smart glasses are increasing in popularity. My concern is their risks outweigh the benefits.
Firstly, they are a privacy nightmare, for the owner and everyone they talk to or pass in the street. The data could go anywhere.
Secondly, even if you use them legitmitately, you may end up being branded a creep or wierdo by anyone feeling uncomfortable about being filmed.
Theoughts?
The only positive use I’ve really been convinced of is for the blind and partially sighted. They can give audio description of the wearer’s surroundings in real time. Otherwise, nah, gimmick.
Should be banned.
They are useful in terms of augmented reality e.g you’re looking at a painting and all the details of the artist, date etc.. pop up in a screen on the lens. Or you’re a warehouseman and you can see what’s in a pallet just by looking at it.
The most important feature they can and do have is a recording light so people know they are being filmed. And tampering with the light (e.g masking tape) should be a criminal offence with very heavy fines.
It furthers enables POV social media idiots to harass people on the streets. Switzerland has a ban about recording people in public, so no idiot can approach you on the street with a camera. Great.
Again, thanks (German-speaking) Switzerland. Smart glasses have been recently banned from municipal swimming pools.
I really appreciate the speed on the HUD of my car, but on sunny days is hard to see. This implementation blocks the view and too much data, but the underlying idea is great. A good example that smart-glasses also work for showing stuff, not recording.
Meta have “seen the light” and are forcing an mandatory update that prevents use if the light is blocked or disabled.
But like all technology, it is will judged by the lowest common denominator. and therefore all those who use it. Just like amateur drones.
I wonder if we are just because too sensitive to what others can see, and record, of us. It’s been years since I’ve been to a clothing optional beach, but it was only with the knowledge that I would be seen, and possibly recorded.
You don’t even need these Perv glasses, someone could be recording with their phones pointed at people - they could be surfing or they could be recording.
I think the real problem is a modern day one and did not exist when you were younger.
It’s not the videoing per se which is the major worry but the uploading and/or distributing of such images/videos to all and sundry via social media etc.
In may countries, it’s illegal to use any vide recording device in places where privacy is expected such as chaging rooms, showers etc.
The new problem here is that people may not appreciate that someone else’s glasses are recording them whereas a phone is more obvious although a quick Google shows than there have been many arrests with people using concealed phones and cameras.
I think, when the camera quality is better, the glasses may work well for POV recording of outdoor extreme sports such as rock climbing as seeing what the climber is actually seeing would give an additional viewpoint coupled with long and wide-angle shots.
To me there are data security issues. If the cameras are capable of recording at 60fps or more, someone could stand behind you at your PC at work, or when you are logging into your phone at a cafe, and (with help of AI) , determine your passwords or codes.
With a phone or camera it’s obvious, but with smart glasses, you wouldn’t even notice.
I thought this thread was about the privacy gadgets,
https://www.glasses.com/gl-us/blog/ghost-glasses
etc.
Is it legal to drive with these things?
If it does not impare your vision, yes.
And who determines that?
I’ve used a pair (not meta, but a cheap chinese one where there is no light flashing).
My objective was to secretly record corrupt police and border officials during one of my rallies.
They worked a treat for that…
I’m not a lawyer. Anyway, AFAIK it is not explicitly illegal as long as the smart glasses display the same or less info as the HUD of the car and in a position that does not obstruct the view.
Like right smack in the center of ones vision?