Newsom rejects bill targeting covert smart glasses recordings

California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have made it illegal to secretly record others using smart glasses in private spaces such as changing rooms and doctors' offices. The legislation, SB-1130, would have required manufacturers to include recording indicators and banned technology designed to mask these indicators. Although California already has privacy and two-party consent recording laws, the bill aimed to address specific concerns about smart glasses being misused for covert surveillance.

The bill would have imposed fines of up to $1,500 and potential prison time for individuals caught recording others without consent, with companies facing fines of up to $2,500 per violation if they failed to include recording indicators or sold masking technology. However, Newsom argued the bill's language was overly broad, noting that the definition of "wearable recording device" could inadvertently catch smartwatches and other worn devices commonly used in public spaces, leading to unintended consequences. The tech industry advocacy group TechNet had opposed the legislation.