New York bans smart glasses in all courthouses, first state in the US

Details of the Ban

Starting July 20, New York will become the first U.S. state to implement a blanket ban on smart glasses in all of its courts. This applies to all 1,240 state, county, city, town, and village courts. Signs announcing the ban have recently been posted in court facilities, warning users to use regular glasses instead.

Rationale Behind the Decision

The ban is designed to enhance security and privacy in courtrooms where recording is already prohibited. The New York State Unified Court System's rules explicitly forbid any photography or audiovisual recording in court facilities, irrespective of whether a session is in progress.

Concerns Over Smart Glasses

Smart glasses raise significant concerns due to their ability to enable covert recording without the obvious indication that comes with traditional cameras or phones. Though these devices typically include lights to signal recording, modifications could disable these indicators, exacerbating privacy concerns.

Context of the Ban

This decision follows notable incidents involving smart glasses in court. A recent example highlighted opposition, where members of Meta's team, wearing Ray-Ban smart glasses while escorting CEO Mark Zuckerberg, prompted a judge to warn against recording during a high-profile trial.