Calls for a smart glasses ban are intensifying in Europe after reports of women and girls being filmed without consent, with a UK petition nearing the threshold for a government response.
The UK Parliament petition, created by teacher Guy Holder, calls for an immediate ban on selling and promoting recording-capable smart glasses. It had collected more than 9,200 signatures by September 13; 10,000 requires a government response.
Pressure is also increasing elsewhere in Europe. Oslo banned smart glasses in all schools on September 10, while Norway is considering broader regulation of camera-equipped wearables.
At European Union level, Slovak MEP Veronika Cifrova Ostrihonova has asked the European Commission whether the devices comply with EU privacy and artificial-intelligence rules. The European Data Protection Board has commissioned a study on their “social acceptability,” expected this autumn.
Would you notice if smart glasses were filming you?
News Reporter @lara_wildenberg tested a pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which look like tortoise-shell sunglasses, and no one was able to identify the technology without being prompted.
The subsequent reactions were a… pic.twitter.com/5WjAuqzrit
— The Times and Sunday Times (@thetimes) September 11, 2026Meta’s AI glasses can take photos and video, make calls, play audio, translate speech and interact with Meta AI. The company says a blinking capture LED alerts bystanders when recording is active and that newer models disable the camera if the light is covered or physically tampered with.
The UK government has not endorsed a general ban. In a June parliamentary response, it said smart glasses may be lawfully used in public, while harassment, stalking, voyeurism and non-consensual sharing of intimate images can already constitute criminal offences.
Read: Meta Smart Glasses Face UK Cinema Curbs Over Piracy Fears
Campaigners in Britain and Ireland are pressing retailers and venues to stop selling or allowing the devices while lawmakers consider whether existing privacy protections are sufficient.
