Meta's AI glasses face criminal complaint in Germany
What's the story
A German advocacy group, HateAid, has filed a criminal complaint against Meta and other companies selling the tech giant's AI glasses. The complaint alleges that these devices violate privacy laws by enabling covert recording. The move comes as part of a wider legal scrutiny of smart glasses in Germany, where privacy is highly valued.
Privacy fears
'There's no place to escape from smart glasses'
Josephine Ballon, Managing Director of HateAid, expressed her concerns over the proliferation of smart glasses.
She said, "There's no place to escape from smart glasses. You have to expect, at any moment, to be filmed and then exposed on the internet."
The complaint is based on federal data protection laws that prohibit selling communication devices meant for filming people without their knowledge.
Legal action
Companies named in the complaint
The complaint has been filed against Meta, EssilorLuxottica, and retailers Fielmann, Apollo-Optik, Mister Spex, and MediaMarkt.
The group reported these entities to ZIT, a Frankfurt-based digital crime prosecution unit.
While Mister Spex said it hasn't been officially notified of the complaint but takes privacy protection very seriously, other companies didn't respond to media queries.
Regulatory response
Germany's digital communications regulator on smart glasses
The Federal Network Agency, Germany's digital communications regulator, had already issued a statement on smart glasses in late 2023. It said connected devices for covert audio or video recordings are banned.
However, the agency is currently not formally investigating any breaches but is closely monitoring the smart glasses market.
A spokesperson clarified that "the ownership, import or sale of smart glasses are not banned... for as long as the recording function is clearly visible."