- City of Sydney has joined four other local Australian councils in banning the use of smart glasses in specific areas
- Banned in public pools, gyms, childcare centers, libraries and government buildings
- Separate ban covers public schools in Western Australia
Local government councils and public schools across Australia are continuing moves to rapidly ban the use of smart glasses in public areas, following the federal government’s announcement that use of the devices will be prohibited in government-run workplaces, services centers, laboratories and local council buildings.
The City of Sydney, whose jurisdiction covers a population of approximately 240,000 within Sydney’s central business district and surrounding inner suburbs, is the latest local government council to enforce the ban, following the City of Yarra in Melbourne, City of Brisbane and Canterbury-Bankstown council in suburban Sydney.
The ban covers public pools, gyms, childcare centers, libraries and town halls, and the council will update signage and guidance to enforce it.
“There is a policy in place at our pools that covers the use of recording devices, including smart glasses,” a City of Sydney spokesperson told TechRadar.
“Recording without consent is not permitted and recording devices are prohibited in change rooms and other areas of our aquatic facilities.
“Conditions of Entry, published online and displayed on reception screens, have recently been updated to strengthen protections against non-consensual recording, with specific reference to smart glasses. Reminders have been issued through member communications. Staff respond when they observe behaviour that may be inconsistent with the Conditions of Entry. Matters can be escalated to police if needed.”
In a separate statement, the Western Australian government also announced today that students, teachers, parents and contractors will be banned from wearing or storing smart glasses on school premises from the start of the next school term on October 12.
Western Australia's education minister Sabine Winton said keeping students and staff safe was a priority for the state government.
“This ban is about taking a common sense, preventative approach,” she said. “We know that smart glasses are becoming more accessible and can have a detrimental impact on people’s privacy and wellbeing.”
'We need an import ban'
City of Sydney councilor Matthew Thompson added that there will be exemptions for those who use the glasses as accessibility devices, including individuals with vision and hearing loss.
“Overseas we’re seeing women being targeted and harassed in public and recorded without their consent. We don’t want what’s happening in the US to happen here,” Thompson’s motion read.
“That’s why we’re banning smart glasses and other wearable recording devices from all of our pools, gyms, childcare [centers], libraries and other council spaces.
Thompson has also called for the Australian federal government to impose an import ban on these smart glasses until privacy laws and standards are strengthened.
“Cheap wearable devices like smart glasses are already flooding the market. But instead of stopping this problem, the federal Labor government has dumped it on to councils to sort out.
“We need an import ban on these cheap, intrusive devices until we have stronger privacy protections and clear standards implemented nationally.”
‘Pervert’ glasses and privacy concerns
First widely popularized by Meta, smart glasses have since been replicated by other brands and have recently come under heavy criticism for their potential for harassment and for recording members of the public without their consent — earning the nickname ‘pervert glasses’ in some circles.
A University of Sydney study found that from a sample size of 350 public Instagram videos shot with smart glasses, around 60% could potentially be classified as harassment of a person or people.
Similar bans have also been introduced in the UK and the US, including in courtrooms in England, Wales and New York state, as well as being prohibited from use by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employees.
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