The smart glasses boom and the controversy surrounding them
Keystone-SDA
Swiss online retailer Galaxus reports that sales of so-called smart glasses are rising sharply. It also says that men account for nine in ten purchases of the devices.
Manufacturers estimate that millions of smart glasses will be in use worldwide by 2026, Galaxus says in a press release. Switzerland is also contributing to the trend: sales at the online retailer have quadrupled this year compared with the same period last year, up 307%.
+ Smart glasses ban in swimming pools debated in Switzerland
“Several thousand pairs were ordered between January and September,” the company says, adding that the glasses are “flying off the shelves”.
According to the company, the camera and built-in speakers can help deaf people follow conversations in real time and take part more easily. They can also provide blind people with spoken descriptions of their surroundings.
But there is a downside. Some people use the glasses to film others without their consent and then share the footage online illegally.
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Ray-Ban, Xreal and RayNeo are the most popular smart-glasses brands sold by Galaxus, followed by Viture and Oakley. The devices also appear to have a particularly strong appeal among men, who account for 87% of purchases.
Galaxus acknowledges that the technology has also attracted criticism. Raphaël Mahaim, a Green Party member of the Vaud cantonal parliament, has tabled a parliamentary motion calling for a new legal framework.
Under his proposal, anyone using smart glasses to record a person’s image, voice or biometric data would have to make this clear. If a device does not display a visible, non-disableable recording indicator, any recording made with it would be considered unlawful.
The proposal would also require manufacturers to demonstrate that their devices meet privacy safeguards before they are allowed onto the market.
Several cantons have also seen political initiatives in recent months, including Zurich, Lucerne, Basel-City and St Gallen. Much of the debate has centred on whether smart glasses should be banned in swimming pools.
Supporters of a ban say it would help prevent people from using discreetly integrated cameras to film others without their consent, including children, girls and women in swimwear. In some cases, such footage is later shared online.
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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
