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.
- Newsom vetoes smart glasses recording bill, citing overly broad language and potential unintended consequences.
- Bill would have banned secret recordings in private spaces with fines and prison time.
- California already has privacy and two-party consent laws in place.
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Smart glasses are wearable devices designed to look like ordinary spectacles but contain built-in cameras and recording capability. There is growing concern that people could use them to secretly film others in private spaces, such as changing rooms or doctors' surgeries, without anyone knowing.
California already has privacy laws that require two-party consent for recordings, meaning you need permission from everyone involved to record conversations. However, lawmakers felt these existing protections didn't adequately address the specific risk posed by smart glasses, which are far harder to detect than traditional cameras because they appear to be ordinary eyewear.
The bill, known as SB-1130, would have required manufacturers to include visible recording indicators on smart glasses and forbidden technology designed to conceal those indicators. It proposed significant penalties for violations, including fines up to $1,500 and potential imprisonment for individuals, and fines up to $2,500 per breach for companies that failed to comply.
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Originally published by Engadget as “Newsom vetoes smart glasses privacy bill”.