Overview
- Attorney‑General Michelle Rowland asked the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to prioritise a review of wearable camera glasses on Friday to identify privacy gaps and possible safeguards.
- Kmart’s $89 Anko smart glasses sold out within days after their July 28 release, sharply widening access to discreet recording technology that had previously been limited by higher‑priced Meta models.
- Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said existing rules under Australia’s Privacy Act cover businesses but not person‑to‑person recordings, and warned the market’s growth may require new laws and stronger consent rules.
- Businesses and platforms have begun blocking or removing recordings from smartglasses, Meta has pushed firmware that disables cameras if the LED is tampered with, and reporters say some users have modified lights to record covertly.
- Developers have released detection apps that alert people to nearby recording eyewear while advocates and academics warn the tech could intensify harassment of women, children and other vulnerable groups and push broader legal and venue restrictions.