Smart glasses are going mainstream. Do current privacy laws protect us from the risks?

Australian retailers are now selling cheap camera glasses, The Conversation (Australia) reports—Kmart's in-house Anko brand, just eighty-nine dollars, compared to three hundred thirty-seven dollars or more for Meta and Ray-Ban equivalents. These glasses can covertly film and record video and audio, raising concerns about voyeurism, harassment, stalking, and workplace espionage. They also pose distraction risks that could lead to accidents. The privacy gap: Australia's fragmented laws apply mainly to organizations, not individuals, leaving bystanders inadequately protected from covert recording. Some protections exist—harassment laws, anti-doxxing provisions, and eSafety Commissioner powers—but they're scattered across federal and state legislation. The Conversation argues that a better approach than outright bans might be stronger 'privacy by design' standards built into products by manufacturers, and clearer policies in schools and workplaces, while recognizing that these devices can genuinely help people with disabilities.

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