Norway Considers Ban on ‘Pervert Glasses’ Featuring Camera Technology

Norway is considering a ban on smart glasses and different types of wearable headsets that feature cameras, with the goal of regulating this controversial technology due to serious privacy concerns.

According to Karianne Tung, the digital minister of Norway, the government is investigating ways to regulate the use of camera-equipped wearable devices, including those developed by Meta and Snap. These internet-connected devices may soon integrate facial recognition technology, raising alarms among civil liberties groups who contend that such tools infringe on personal privacy. Critics have referred to them as “pervert glasses,” resulting in significant public opposition.

Tung pointed out a “clear trend toward combining artificial intelligence with cameras and microphones integrated into glasses, headphones, hats, and other everyday objects.”

“We must implement safeguards to ensure this technology isn’t used for surveillance of individuals in public areas,” Tung stressed, suggesting that this could mean banning facial recognition of individuals in those contexts.

Tung plans to assemble a panel of experts to assist the government in enhancing the protection of citizens’ privacy rights.