Forget using a smartphone to search for information or take pictures. Just use your convenient, hands-free smart glasses. Yet, there are so many smart glasses privacy risks that many people are not aware of.
Table of Contents
- You Turn into a Surveillance Camera
- Increases the Risk of Biometric Data Leaks
- Bystanders Don’t Get to Consent
- Makes Things Awkward With Friends and Family
- You Don’t Know How Your Data is Used
- Collect Far More Than Video
- No Offline Mode Available
- Too Easy to Wear in Private or Sensitive Environments
- Influences What You Notice
- Increased Eye Strain and Headaches
- Even More Distracting Than Phones
- No Real Benefits Over Phones
You Turn into a Surveillance Camera
Yes, smart glasses give you the option to turn off recording, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still scanning the area in order to provide information when you ask. And, when they’re in recording mode, it’s like wearing a surveillance camera on your face. The worst part is all this data is stored and end users never really know how it’s used.
Increases the Risk of Biometric Data Leaks
Despite tech giants promising us biometrics are the Fort Knox of passwords, our biometric data can be compromised. Back in 2018, AI was already being used to fake fingerprints and the technology’s only gotten more advanced.
As more users happily slap on pairs of Meta AI Glasses or any other smart glasses with cameras, the more biometric data that’s stored. Your camera records every face you see. If any of this data is hacked, the biometrics for millions could be compromised. Unlike passwords, you can’t change this data either.
Bystanders Don’t Get to Consent
Would you be happy if you knew a random stranger you were talking to had recorded the entire exchange? Probably not. One of the biggest smart glasses privacy risks is consent. Bystanders often have no idea you’re wearing smart glasses. They don’t realize they’re being recorded. While some glasses have a tiny light while recording, others don’t.
Makes Things Awkward With Friends and Family
You just got a shiny new pair of smart glasses and now your friends and family are suddenly too busy to hang out. Why? They don’t want you recording them. They don’t want their lives recorded by your glasses. I know my friends and family would be awkward and avoid talking or doing much of anything around me if I was wearing a pair.
You Don’t Know How Your Data is Used
Data ownership is the smart glasses privacy risk I’m most worried about. Carefully read the terms of service. For instance, you might think you own all the data your glasses collect, such as camera recordings, voice recordings, location tracking, and more. You don’t. Try these tools to make it easier to understand all the jargon for terms of service.
Typically, your data is being used to train AI, create detailed user profiles for advertisers such as what Meta AI is doing with your chats, and even share your data with third-parties for research. Even if you delete your account, your data’s still stored and used.
Plus, any apps have their own data collection and usage policies. Excessive permissions or malware-ridden apps further risk your privacy and safety. Even iOS and Android smartphone app stores face these threats, but currently, smart glasses app stores have fewer restrictions to encourage developers.
Collect Far More Than Video
Video collection alone is creepy in my opinion, especially when you have no idea what the manufacturer or any smart glasses apps are doing with those videos. But, that’s not all your smart glasses collect.
Turn the recording feature off and there are still massive smart glasses privacy risks. Your glasses still record in location in real-time, how you interact in the environment, interactional timing, and more. In the right hands, this data is used to create detailed profiles about your habits, shopping and eating preferences, political and religious preferences, and even your relationships.
No Offline Mode Available
The entire purpose of smart glasses is real-time access to information. This requires Internet access and cloud processing. There isn’t an offline or privacy mode. Every time you ask a question, identify an object, or trigger the AI assistant, your data’s being transferred back and forth.
Too Easy to Wear in Private or Sensitive Environments
Smart glasses look nearly identical to standard glasses, outside of a tiny camera. Many people have no idea you’re wearing them. I’ve found myself paying close attention to see if I’m being recorded or not.
Now, imagine the dangers of someone innocently walking into a school, locker room, hospital, courtroom, business meeting, someone’s home, or anywhere else where recording is prohibited. You might forget you’re wearing them and record highly private situations and individuals, including minors, without consent. If any of the data leaks, you could be held responsible.
Of course, I’m not even getting into the people who’d purposely try to do this.
Influences What You Notice
Many smart glasses use AR (artificial reality) overlays to pull your attention to certain things. This may be to highlight sponsored content from advertisers, encourage to visit one business over another, and purposely hide some information to influence your decisions based on what the manufacturer or app developer wants you to do.
Increased Eye Strain and Headaches
Unlike your smartphone, your smart glasses are literally right in your front of your eyes at all times. While most are designed to not be directly harmful to your eyes, trying to focus on both the world around you and the tiny overlays directly in front of your eyes creates significantly more eye strain than just using a normal phone screen. This also leads to more headaches.
And, just like smartphones, users who become too dependent on them may harm their eyes over time from overuse.
Even More Distracting Than Phones
I’m pretty sure I could compete in the Olympics if avoiding people glued to their smartphones while walking was an event. Now, imagine having the screen an inch or less from your eyes, especially when walking or driving. In theory, the wearer still sees everything in front of them. In reality, they’re probably more focused on the overlays. I don’t want to be that person.
No Real Benefits Over Phones
To me, smart glasses privacy risks aren’t worth the convenience. They essentially duplicate my phone’s features. Yet, my phone gives me more control over my privacy and the privacy of others around me. Why bother with two devices when my phone is all I really need?
