Norway considers ban on camera-enabled wearable 'pervert glasses'

Norway is considering a ban on camera-enabled wearable headsets, including smart glasses made by Meta and Snap, amid privacy concerns, according to digital minister Karianne Tung. Tung said the government may ban the use of facial recognition of other people in public places and plans to set up an expert group to advise on privacy protections.

Norway is considering a ban on smart glasses and other camera-enabled wearable headsets as it seeks to regulate the controversial technology amid privacy concerns. The country’s digital minister Karianne Tung, as quoted by the AFP news agency https://www.thelocal.no/20260825/norway-to-crack-down-on-use-of-smart-glasses , said that the government is looking to regulate the use of camera-enabled wearables, such as those made by Meta and Snap. These wearables feature cameras, are internet-connected, and may soon include facial recognition https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/technology/meta-facial-recognition-smart-glasses.html , drawing ire from civil liberties advocates, who say the devices intrude on people’s privacy. Some call the devices “pervert glasses,” https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/05/meta-sued-over-ai-smartglasses-privacy-concerns-after-workers-reviewed-nudity-sex-and-other-footage/ prompting considerable consumer backlash. Norway’s Tung said there is a “clear trend toward combining artificial intelligence with cameras and microphones built into glasses, headphones, hats and other objects we use in everyday life.” “We must prevent this equipment from being used to monitor other people in public places,” said Tung, who added that this may include banning the use of facial recognition of other people in public places. Tung plans to set up a group of experts to advise the government on better protecting people’s privacy rights.