Key facts
- Meta's smart glasses are now banned from courthouses across England and Wales.
- The ban follows similar action by pub chain Wetherspoon.
- Concerns over privacy and misuse of footage captured by the glasses have been raised.
- Legal experts are urging businesses to update workplace policies to address risks associated with wearable technology.
- Meta has sold over 7 million AI glasses, with partnerships including Ray-Ban and Oakley.
Meta's smart glasses have been banned from courthouses across England and Wales, a move that has prompted legal professionals to issue warnings to businesses about the increasing privacy risks associated with wearable technology. The ban by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) follows similar action taken by pub chain Wetherspoon, which prohibited the devices from its more than 800 premises.
Concerns have been mounting over the potential misuse of footage captured by Meta's AI smart glasses, leading to intervention from the UK's Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) earlier this year. Reports indicated that outsourced contractors had viewed intimate footage recorded by users wearing the glasses. EssilorLuxottica, the manufacturer of Ray-Ban smart glasses in partnership with Meta, reported selling over 7 million units last year.
Solicitor Oliver Milton of TWM advised that employers must carefully consider the implications of smart glasses in the workplace, particularly regarding the ease with which sensitive material can be uploaded to social media. He stressed that employees misusing such devices could face disciplinary action, including dismissal. Milton also pointed out that wearable technology might be considered a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010, emphasizing the need for updated workplace policies to preempt future disputes. Meta recently invested £12 million in a new audio research lab in Cambridge aimed at improving the sound capabilities of its augmented reality and AI glasses.