Push to halt imports of 'covert recording' tech glasses
A move to impose a 12-month ban on the import of big tech's camera-enabled glasses will be introduced in parliament, in a bid to protect privacy against "covert recording".
The Greens' legislation will apply a temporary prohibition on bringing glasses and other wearable devices into the country that have the ability to secretly record, such as Meta and Anko glasses.
They often look like normal glasses and allow the wearer to record video and audio without the knowledge of people around them.
Under the changes, the Privacy Act would be amended so filming, storing or sharing footage from these devices without consent is a clear breach of the law.
The Information Commissioner and eSafety Commissioner would also be given power to investigate complaints and issue penalties.
The minor party is expected to introduce the bill to parliament when it returns in September, with the support of independents.
The proposal is unlikely to move forward without support by the federal government.
Greens digital rights spokesman David Shoebridge said Australia's laws needed to catch up and meet the moment.
"Australians are deeply concerned about this next potential avalanche, attacking their privacy these so-called smart glasses coming into the country in their thousands at low price points," he told reporters in Sydney.
"Covert recording of us as we go about our daily lives in our gym, as we go shopping at the beach, we're saying press pause."
It's unclear how many smart glasses are in circulation in Australia, but while higher-end tech can cost northwards of $500, cheaper glasses can be bought for less than $100 from stores and online.
Senator Shoebridge said a third of Australians wanted the devices banned outright, with a Monash University study finding a "disturbing" number of owners admitted to using them to secretly record people, including in change rooms, beaches and workplaces.
Schools have already banned the devices from classrooms over deepfake and live streaming risks, he said.
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