Norway Weighs Ban on ‘Pervert Glasses’ Equipped with Camera Technology

Norway is contemplating a prohibition on smart glasses and various wearable headsets that include cameras, aiming to regulate this contentious technology due to significant privacy issues.

According to Karianne Tung, Norway’s digital minister, the government is exploring strategies to oversee the usage of camera-equipped wearable devices, including those produced by Meta and Snap. These devices, capable of internet connectivity, might soon incorporate facial recognition technology, prompting concerns from civil liberties organizations that argue such tools violate personal privacy. Critics have labeled them as “pervert glasses,” leading to substantial backlash from the public.

Tung noted a “distinct trend toward merging artificial intelligence with cameras and microphones embedded in glasses, headphones, hats, and other commonplace items.”

“We need to establish measures to prevent this technology from being utilized to surveil individuals in public spaces,” Tung emphasized, suggesting that this could involve prohibiting facial recognition of people in such environments.

Tung intends to gather a group of experts to support the government in strengthening the protection of citizens’ privacy rights.