Adelaide City Council is set to discuss whether camera-equipped smart glasses should be banned or restricted in parts of the city, following concerns that people can be recorded without their knowledge. Councillor Phillip Martin plans to move a motion next week seeking an investigation into possible restrictions in places including parklands, libraries and meeting halls, according to ABC News.
Martin said people could not know whether someone wearing the glasses was simply looking at them or recording them. He told ABC News he was particularly concerned about women and children, citing reports received by the eSafety Commissioner about men recording interactions with women and later using the footage on social media. He said children should be able to use playgrounds and parklands without being recorded without their or their guardians’ consent.
The proposal comes as other Australian councils take action. Yarra City Council has banned smart glasses in playgrounds, childcare centres and gyms, while Brisbane City Council has announced a blanket ban on the non-consensual use of camera-enabled devices, including wearable technology, phones and action cameras. South Australian Greens MP Robert Simms is also due to introduce a bill next month covering schools, childcare centres, playgrounds, swimming pools and gyms, with proposed exemptions for disability aides.
Adelaide Fringe venue Gluttony is considering its own restrictions. Co-director Daniel Michael told 891 ABC Adelaide that visitors might not want to be filmed clandestinely, particularly at events involving children or performances where filming rules already apply. The venue has compared a possible prohibition on smart glasses with existing bans on weapons.
Opponents of blanket bans say the glasses have legitimate uses. Michael Hutchinson, chair of the See Differently Client Advisory Committee, said the technology had been transformative for blind and low-vision users by helping them identify objects and read labels. He urged decision-makers to consult users with disabilities before imposing restrictions.
South Australia’s Local Government Association said the technology’s development and adoption were outpacing existing regulations. It supported discussions with state and federal governments on clear, consistent rules. Adelaide University cyber governance expert Mohiuddin Ahmed said non-consensual use represented a serious privacy violation but acknowledged that enforcing a council ban would be difficult. The federal government is not currently considering an import ban, ABC News reported.