Norway Considers Ban on Camera-Enabled Wearables

Norway is considering a ban on smart glasses and other camera-enabled wearable headsets as it seeks to regulate the technology amid privacy concerns.

Digital minister Karianne Tung, quoted by the AFP news agency, said the government is looking to regulate camera-enabled wearables such as those made by Meta and Snap. The devices have cameras and internet connectivity, and may soon include facial recognition.

Civil liberties advocates say the wearables intrude on people’s privacy. Some critics call them “pervert glasses,” a label that has contributed to consumer backlash.

Tung said there is a “clear trend toward combining artificial intelligence with cameras and microphones built into glasses, headphones, hats and other objects we use in everyday life.”

“We must prevent this equipment from being used to monitor other people in public places,” Tung said. She added that regulation may include banning the use of facial recognition of other people in public places.

Tung plans to establish a group of experts to advise the government on better protecting people’s privacy rights.