California governor vetoes bill targeting secret recordings with wearable devices

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 1130, which would have made it unlawful to secretly record people with wearable devices. The bill had passed the state legislature.

In a letter to lawmakers on Wednesday, Newsom said the bill defined wearable recording devices “too broadly or imprecisely,” potentially causing confusion and unintended consequences. He also said the proposal included protections that already exist under California law.

The bill sought to prevent people from being recorded in public without their explicit consent. It would have made California the first state to regulate smart glasses. Violators could have faced fines or prison time, and wearable makers that did not comply could also have been fined.

The proposal came amid growing use of wearables with cameras and microphones, including internet-connected glasses made by Meta and Snap. Meta sold more than 7 million wearable glasses last year, according to the source. Other devices, including AI-powered pendants, have also launched with mixed reactions.

State Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes, the bill’s author, told ABC News that it aimed to help California respond to the rapid rollout of always-listening technology. Critics and consumers have called some camera-equipped wearables “pervert glasses” after reports of people recording and harassing others.