Smart Glasses Being Used to Secretly Film Women Without Consent
Experts are raising urgent concerns about smart glasses being deployed to violate women's privacy and threaten their safety in public spaces. The discreet nature of these wearable devices, which resemble ordinary eyewear, is enabling covert filming that leaves victims feeling violated and exposed.
"I Literally Felt My Heart Drop": A Victim's Experience
Isobel Thomason, a 22-year-old woman from Manchester, experienced this violation firsthand when a stranger approached her in the city's Northern Quarter. After she declined his request for her phone number, the man returned with a startling confession: he had been filming their entire interaction using Meta smart glasses.
"I had no idea I was being filmed until he told me," Ms Thomason revealed. "He could do anything with that video. Even if it is just for personal use, that's such a concerning thing to think about."
The man explained he regularly posts clips of himself approaching women on social media platforms to "boost men's confidence," though Ms Thomason did not grant permission for her video to be shared online. She described feeling "violated" and "scared" by the experience, noting the dystopian nature of being secretly recorded during what appeared to be a normal street encounter.
Growing Trend of Covert Filming
Dr Olga Jurasz, director of the Centre for Protecting Women Online, told The Independent that incidents of women being filmed without their consent are increasing alarmingly. "Not only are they on the rise, but they are also becoming much more common and sadly more normalised," she explained.
The discreet design of smart glasses makes them particularly concerning for privacy advocates. Unlike traditional recording devices, these glasses feature tiny, nearly invisible cameras that can capture video without subjects' knowledge. Ms Thomason questioned why the glasses need to look so ordinary, suggesting more distinctive designs might help people recognize when they're being recorded.
Legal and Safety Implications
Currently, recording someone in public spaces without their consent isn't illegal in many circumstances, creating a significant protection gap for victims. Dr Jurasz emphasized that "women's safety is not optional" and called for updated legislation to address these emerging technologies.
Minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls Jess Phillips condemned the practice, stating: "Covert filming of women and girls is vile, and we will not let anyone profit from it." The government has pledged to introduce new laws making it a criminal offence to take intimate images or install equipment to capture them without consent.
Tech Company Responses
Meta acknowledged concerns about product misuse, stating their smart glasses include an LED light that activates during recording and "tamper detection technology" to prevent users from covering the indicator. A spokesperson emphasized that "people should use smart glasses in a safe, respectful manner" and that the company is "aware and concerned" about small numbers of users who misuse their products.
TikTok confirmed taking enforcement action against accounts engaging in this behavior after being contacted by The Independent. The social media platform's response highlights growing awareness of how these recordings are being monetized through platforms that allow creators to profit from content featuring non-consenting individuals.
Broader Concerns About Technology and Consent
Experts warn that the normalization of covert filming represents just one aspect of broader digital safety concerns for women. Dr Jurasz pointed to additional risks including deepfake creation, privacy invasion in public spaces, and exposure to global online harassment through comment sections.
"The fact that he asked for consent after it happened is pretty much irrelevant," Dr Jurasz noted regarding Ms Thomason's experience. "She had an opportunity to say no, but she does not know whether that recording has been permanently deleted."
As wearable technology becomes more sophisticated and discreet, privacy advocates are calling for stronger safeguards, clearer regulations, and greater public awareness about how these devices can be misused to violate personal boundaries in public spaces.
