UK cinemas are considering restricting or banning Meta's camera-enabled smart glasses over fears they could be used to illegally film films, according to the UK Cinema Association (UKCA). The trade body said individual chains may bring in policies limiting the £359 devices, joining a growing number of venues, including theatres, pubs and restaurants, that have moved to curb their use over privacy and piracy concerns. Cinema operators must weigh these worries against the accessibility benefits the AI-enabled glasses can offer, such as providing bespoke subtitles for people with hearing or visual impairments.

The UKCA said it knew of no bans among its members so far but described the issue as a "developing area" requiring a "relevant and proportionate" response. Meta says the glasses have a flashing LED and tamper-detection technology to signal when recording is taking place, though some users have reported being filmed without their knowledge. Other venues have already acted: ATG Theatres bans filming and asks wearers to remove the glasses, while Wetherspoons chief executive Tim Martin said the glasses breach rules against filming customers without consent. A Meta spokesperson defended the product's accessibility uses but acknowledged some venues are reasonably off-limits to filming.