Norway’s government plans to propose a temporary ban on AI glasses in selected public places, including parks, beaches, schools and kindergartens. The pause is intended to give an expert group time to develop permanent national rules for wearable devices that can record people around the user.
Digitalization minister Torgeir Micaelsen said the concern is that bystanders may be photographed, filmed or recorded without knowing it. The government says the draft law is a high priority and will be sent to parliament soon. It is not proposing a total ban; uses that do not create a risk of recording people without consent could remain acceptable.
Some Norwegian institutions have already acted independently. Schools in Oslo and energy company Equinor have prohibited the glasses in certain settings, including offices and offshore facilities. Australia is considering restrictions in some public spaces, while courtrooms in several countries have imposed their own bans.
The proposal is an early test of how governments will treat always-available cameras and microphones as Meta, Google, OpenAI and others pursue wearable AI interfaces. The immediate effect depends on the text parliament receives, including how it defines an AI device, which locations qualify and how authorities distinguish recording from other functions.