Make all AI glasses with recording features illegal

AI glasses with recording capabilities create a serious threat to privacy and personal safety. Unlike traditional cameras, they can be worn discreetly in everyday situations, making it difficult for people to know when they are being recorded.

People should have the right to move through public spaces without the fear that they are being filmed, identified, or recorded without their knowledge or meaningful consent. There are growing concerns about these devices being misused to record strangers in vulnerable situations, including women in public spaces, people exercising in gyms, and individuals in private or sensitive environments, with footage potentially being shared online without permission.

Although some AI glasses have visible recording indicators, these safeguards can be undermined if they are easily hidden or covered, making it harder for members of the public to recognise when they are being recorded.

The development of facial recognition and identity-matching technology alongside wearable cameras raises further concerns. If someone can identify a stranger and connect their face to personal online information, it risks removing the basic expectation of anonymity in everyday life. A person sitting near you on public transport could potentially discover your identity and access personal information that you never chose to share with them.

This creates particular risks for vulnerable groups, including children and young people, who may be recorded, identified, or exposed online without understanding the consequences.

The UK must act now to protect privacy before these technologies become widespread and the ability to control our own images, identities, and personal information is lost.