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EDPB publishes statement on the data protection challenges of smart glasses

EDPB publishes statement on the data protection challenges of smart glasses

 

14 October 2026

During its latest plenary, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has adopted  a statement on smart glasses and published the report “The connected gaze. Video recording, surveillance and administering evidence in the age of smart glasses”, developed in the context of the Support Pool of Expert (SPE) programme.

As smart glasses become widely available and more frequently used, they raise significant questions for the protection of individuals’ personal data and rights and freedoms even if they create new opportunities for communication, assistance, and innovation.

“These devices look like ordinary glasses, but they include cameras and microphones and are connected to the internet. This raises serious privacy concerns, as individuals may be recorded without their knowledge.

The risks are even greater in sensitive environments—such as hospitals, schools, or workplaces—and when recordings are shared on social networks. And of course, children are especially at risk when using these glasses or when they are filmed," said EDPB Chair, Anu Talus.

The EDPB’s text is an initial statement which provides preliminary guidance to users, manufacturers and service providers while increasing awareness about the risks these devices pose.

Read more here

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