Government weighing smart glasses privacy concerns with benefits for people with disabilities

The Albanese government has rejected calls to ban AI smart glasses despite growing privacy concerns.

The wearable technology, which can record video and audio without obvious detection, has sparked fears Australians could be filmed anywhere without their knowledge or consent.

The government has left the decisions up to councils and businesses to make their own rules, with some local councils already banning the devices from their facilities.

Speaking on Sunrise on Tuesday, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the government is seeking public consultation on the technology.

“We are seeking views from Australians about new technologies, including wearable information processing devices, such as smart glasses, and the ways in which privacy can help protect people in this digital age,” Rowland said.

“We haven’t ruled anything out; this is very much a good-faith consultation.”

A University of Sydney study found that approximately 60 per cent of point-of-view material uploaded from smart glasses could be classified as potential harassment.

Rowland said she is working directly with the researchers as part of the consultation.

“We want to make sure that children and other vulnerable Australians aren’t targeted,” she said.

But it isn’t all bad, with the technology proving to be very effective in supporting people with disabilities.

Vision Australia’s chief mission officer Chris Hastings, who is totally blind, told AAP that previously laborious process of unlocking his phone, typing in codes, and opening the correct app are signficantly easier using a couple of hands-free steps on his glasses.

He said accessibility for people like him outweighs any potential risks when considering a blanket ban.

Rowland said she is very conscious of this, and is working to “get the balance right”.

“We’ve had Vision Australia and other disability advocacy groups saying that this type of technology has been a game-changer for them,” she said.