Norway Moves to Ban AI Glasses in Public Places Over Privacy
Norway plans a temporary AI glasses ban in parks, beaches, schools and kindergartens as experts develop permanent privacy rules for digital wearables.
Summary
Norway became the first major country to propose temporarily banning AI glasses in selected public places. On October 5, 2026, its center-left government said a high-priority draft law would soon reach parliament, covering parks, beaches, schools and kindergartens. An expert group will propose permanent national rules. Digitalization Minister Torgeir Micaelsen said the pause would enable assessment and public debate over devices that can photograph, film or record people without their knowledge. Norway rejects a total ban and would permit uses without a risk of nonconsensual filming.
Schools in Oslo and Equinor, Norway’s largest company, already prohibit AI glasses, with Equinor’s ban covering offices and offshore facilities. Australia is considering restrictions in certain public spaces, while courtrooms in several countries have imposed bans. Concern centers on Meta glasses and cheaper copycats recording people, including children and women in changing rooms. Meta, Google and OpenAI view wearables that hear conversations and daily life as a potential replacement for phones as the main AI gateway. Counterpoint Research estimates consumers will spend more than $1 trillion on wearables from 2026 to 2032, but privacy campaigners have branded some smart glasses “pervert technology.”
Positives
- Norway’s high-priority temporary ban would create time for assessment and public debate before permanent national rules are adopted.
- An expert group will develop nationwide regulations addressing AI glasses rather than leaving schools and companies to act alone.
- Norway rejects a total prohibition and would allow uses that pose no risk of filming people without consent.
- Oslo schools and Equinor have already introduced protections, with Equinor covering both offices and offshore facilities.
Risks & concerns
- AI glasses can photograph, film or record people without their knowledge in parks, beaches, schools and kindergartens.
- Children and women face nonconsensual recording risks in sensitive settings including changing rooms.
- Meta, Google and OpenAI envision wearables listening to conversations and daily life as a primary gateway to AI.
- Cheaper copycat devices could broaden access to discreet recording technology as wearable adoption increases.
- Rules remain fragmented, with separate bans emerging across Oslo schools, Equinor sites, courtrooms and potentially Australian public spaces.