Albania may become first nation to ban smart glasses in government workplaces

 Albania may become first nation to ban smart glasses in government workplaces

Australia is on the verge of becoming the first national government in the world to ban smart glasses from its own workplaces. Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher has asked the Australian Public Service for formal advice on whether the devices should be prohibited across Commonwealth-run sites, which span everything from bureaucratic offices and Centrelink service centres to CSIRO laboratories. The move follows growing alarm over the glasses' ability to covertly record people, with a University of Sydney study finding that 60 percent of a sample of smart glasses footage posted to Instagram could be classified as potential harassment. The federal push builds on a wave of targeted bans already rolling through local councils. Brisbane became the first to bar the glasses from public pools in August, with Sydney, Melbourne's Yarra council, and Blacktown following suit in pools, playgrounds, childcare centres, and gyms.

Courts in England, Wales, and New York state have issued their own restrictions, and a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy effectively barred the devices from federal workspaces, but no national government has yet enacted a blanket ban across its agencies. Australia's Albanese government has said explicitly that it is seeking to set a world-leading standard on the issue. The government is treading carefully, however, with Attorney General Michelle Rowland noting that officials want to avoid unfairly restricting people who use the technology as a disability aid, a concern raised by Vision Australia and disability advocates. A formal recommendation from the public service is still pending, meaning the precise shape and scope of any restrictions remains to be decided.