The UK Information Commissioner's Office has called for a broader approach to smart-glasses governance as cameras, microphones, location services and AI become smaller, cheaper and easier to wear throughout the day.

Accessibility benefits and privacy risks coexist

The regulator describes how smart glasses can help people with low or no vision understand surroundings and access information. It has also worked through its sandbox with a smart-glasses project for people living with dementia.

Traditional notice can fail

Familiar transparency tools such as signs, visual recording cues and QR codes often assume that people can see them. Wearable devices make capture less obvious and complicate meaningful objection.

A practical test for NGO deployments

Before using wearable capture, organisations should minimise collection, document purpose and legal basis, test accessible notice, restrict onward sharing, define retention and involve affected communities.