Government raises privacy concerns over smart glasses

The Attorney-General, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP, has written to the Australian Privacy Commissioner asking that the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner give priority consideration to the privacy implications of smart glasses fitted with cameras capable of recording images and video. The letter follows a reported surge in demand for lower cost smart glasses models sold by mainstream retailers, which has drawn public comment and a petition raising concerns about potential misuse.

The Attorney-General said smart glasses may have significant privacy implications, particularly for women and children, who could be disproportionately affected by inappropriate recording, harassment or surveillance enabled by the technology, and noted that such devices can be used more discreetly than other recording technology, making it harder for a person to know when they are being filmed or photographed. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner is an independent statutory agency responsible for its own administration, and the Government said it has confidence in the Commissioner's expertise to monitor the technology and identify any new privacy risks or mitigation measures.

This is a request for the regulator to consider an emerging technology issue rather than an announcement of new legislation, a formal investigation or a change to existing privacy law. No specific regulatory outcome, deadline or proposed amendment to the Privacy Act 1988 has been announced as a result of the letter, and any response rests with the Information Commissioner's own assessment of whether further scrutiny or intervention is warranted.