Support is growing in Australia for a ban on the import of so-called "smart glasses" amid concerns over their use to film people without consent. These low-cost devices, sometimes called "pervert glasses" by critics for their secret recording capabilities, have sparked two petitions with tens of thousands of signatures calling for restrictions on their sale and import.

The Greens, with backing from independents, plan to introduce a bill when parliament next sits to halt the import of smart glasses and other wearable recording devices for at least 12 months. This pause would remain until stronger privacy protections are enacted into law.

Greens senator David Shoebridge warned, "If we end up having millions of these devices in the country, there'll be no place that's free for your privacy. And at the scale that you see these sorts of imports ramping up already, that is what we face."

While first-generation smart glasses were priced above $500, newer models are now available in Australia for well under $100, with some basic versions costing as little as $40, according to ABC News reporter Scott Preston.

The Australian government committed to reforms of the Privacy Act in September 2023 and passed initial amendments in December 2024, including anti-doxxing laws and a Children's Online Privacy Code. However, many recommended changes remain unimplemented.

Tom Sulston from Digital Rights Watch highlighted the social impact of such recordings, stating, "We see women shamed for being dressed in a certain way, or maybe they're being drunk in public … [recordings are] very rarely used to shame men for the same sorts of behaviour."

Senator Shoebridge added, "Maybe we should think ahead for once," emphasizing the need for proactive measures to protect privacy.

The proposed import ban aims to address the rapid increase in these devices and the privacy risks they pose until comprehensive legal protections are in place.

Sources