France Investigates Smart Glasses Misuse as Australia Weighs Workplace Ban
France has opened a criminal investigation into smart glasses misuse linked to sexual harassment complaints, while Australia considers a ban in government workplaces. Expanding concerns about privacy and surveillance are fueling a global security rethink of AI-powered smart glasses and wearables.
Raja Awais Ali
9/18/20263 min read
France Investigates Smart Glasses Misuse as Australia Weighs Workplace Ban
France has opened a criminal investigation into the alleged misuse of smart glasses, while Australia is considering banning camera-equipped smart glasses in government buildings.
Paris prosecutors are investigating at least one criminal case after complaining about a social media trend in which women are filmed on the street without their consent and then the videos are shared online. Authorities have not disclosed which smart glasses brands were mentioned in the complaints, but the prosecutor’s office confirmed that two weeks ago, the cybercrime directorate tested smart glasses to see how they could be used to commit a crime.
The issue comes as smart glasses are becoming more popular. Meta’s and EssilorLuxottica’s AI smart glasses are two of the most popular smart glasses available today. These glasses represent approximately 76% of the market for augmented reality wearable technology, according to the analysts. Meta’s glasses currently have a built-in, low-resolution camera that allows the wearer to take photos and videos. Meta reportedly sold approximately seven million pairs of smart glasses last year, and EssilorLuxottica reported record sales of its smart glasses in 2026. Smart glasses are forcing governments, prosecutors, consumer advocates, and companies to confront the privacy and security implications of this rapidly evolving AI technology around the world.
In the UK, some cinemas have banned smart glasses due to concerns that they could be used to take unauthorized photos or videos. Consumer advocates in Germany have filed a criminal complaint against the companies that manufacture smart glasses. Many people in France do not want to wear smart glasses at work. CNIL, France’s data protection authority, has received fewer than ten complaints about smart glasses in the workplace. Moreover, CNIL reported that the number of companies asking CNIL how to prohibit their employees from using smart glasses is growing. “It is difficult to inform people that they are being filmed and to obtain their consent,” said Nacera Bekhat, CNIL’s director of economics.
Australian authorities are also concerned about the privacy and security problems that smart glasses can cause. On September 17, Australia announced that it was considering a ban on camera-equipped smart glasses in government buildings and workplaces. If adopted, it would be one of the first laws in the world to restrict smart glasses use in the workplace.
Artificial intelligence smart glasses are among the regulated items under the EU’s AI Act and the EU’s privacy law, the GDPR. These two regulations impose strict rules on the collection of personal data with smart glasses. France has strict privacy laws that impose fines of up to €450,000 ($51700) and one-year prison sentences for secretly filming someone in a private space.
Even so, smart glasses are challenging existing laws because the technology can make it easy to capture and share photos and videos of people without their consent. The fact that smart glasses have a small light that indicates when the camera is on makes little difference. According to Ines Legendre, an Internet lawyer at the internet safety organization e-Enfance, even if people know they are being filmed, that does not mean they have given their consent to be filmed or for their image to appear on the internet, where it can be seen by thousands of people.
According to rights groups, women are often the victims of the abusive use of smart glasses. Ines Girard, who works on technology-facilitated gender-based violence issues at the feminist organization Hubertine Auclert, says it is essential that women, gender minorities, and other targeted groups are not forced to bear the burden of this technology. “This is already the case for many victims of sexual violence or online harassment, who must constantly be aware of the risk of being observed or filmed to be able to defend themselves,” she said.
In France, investigators are looking into how smart glasses are being misused, and in Australia, authorities are considering how to ban these devices from government workplaces. Governments, regulators, and businesses globally must navigate the complex and evolving privacy, security, and legal risks posed by AI smart glasses as the technology continues to evolve.
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