Courts, schools and other public places are increasingly banning AI glasses.
AI glasses with cameras can look like just a normal pair of glasses, but they are becoming more and more unwelcome in courthouses, schools and other public places for safety and privacy reasons.
While no country has a permanent, outright ban on AI glasses, Pakistan’s Punjab province imposed a 30-day ban. This includes the use and sale of camera-equipped smart glasses with “hidden recording ability” and began in October 2026. The order also includes miniature cameras disguised in the form of pens or keychains, and retailers will not be able to evade it by selling the affected devices online. Punjab authorities claimed they received complaints of spying devices being used for illegal surveillance, harassment and blackmail. They didn’t mention which models are included, and the ban is limited only to Punjab.
In many other countries and states, AI glasses are banned in specific places — and expect the list to continue to grow.
Courts, schools and military sites are restricting AI glasses
AI glasses have been banned from courtrooms in many countries and states. For instance, New York has banned smart glasses with cameras, microphones or computers in all 1,240 state and local courts since July 20, 2026. They must be turned over to uniformed court officers for safekeeping, and turning them off won’t help. There’s an awkward catch if your Ray-Ban Meta glasses also happen to have prescription lenses. Those are also prohibited, and court officials are urging visitors to pack a traditional pair. Of course, this isn’t ideal if they are the only pair you brought.
Mark Zuckerberg’s team showed up in Ray-Ban Meta glasses during his testimony in Los Angeles in February 2026. “If your glasses are recording, you must take them off,” Judge Carolyn Kuhl warned, according to the Los Angeles Times. However, no recording of the proceedings was confirmed. Meta glasses have also been banned in courts and tribunals in England and Wales, where security personnel can hold them until visitors leave.
AI glasses have also been banned from public schools in Western Australia since October 12, 2026. The policy applies to students, staff and visitors, but exemptions are provided for approved medical, accessibility and educational reasons. The State of Victoria has announced similar restrictions, which won’t take effect until January 27, 2027. Smart glasses are prohibited from SAT test sites too, even during breaks, unless an accommodation is granted. Scores may be canceled for violating the testing rules.
Military facilities have set down restrictions too. Marine Corps policy at Camp Lejeune and other bases does not allow the use of smart glasses.
Pools, theaters and cruises are restricting AI glasses
In Australia, Canterbury-Bankstown Council has banned smart glasses at its leisure and aquatic centers. In the meantime, UK cinemas are rolling out measures to curb the use of camera-enabled glasses, citing privacy and film piracy issues. Royal Caribbean permits smart glasses on board but prohibits their use in casinos, medical facilities or youth areas.
Norway’s government is considering temporary restrictions that could cover parks, beaches, shopping centers and gyms. Those proposals have not yet been enacted, and officials have not yet settled on which types of smart glasses would be covered. That distinction matters when products like the Even Realities G2 don’t have a camera, while Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses can take photos and videos.
The privacy concerns aren’t entirely hypothetical. In September 2026, Paris prosecutors opened investigations following complaints about women being filmed without consent using smart glasses, with the footage posted online. Prosecutors did not identify which brands were involved.
Meta claims the white recording LED on its glasses will light up when photos or videos are being taken and that the camera is disabled if its system detects tampering with the light. But Ray-Ban’s documentation states that some camera-based AI functions on newer models can work without the LED being activated, since they aren’t saving shareable photos or videos. That’s not the same as taking a stealth video, but bystanders might not know when the camera is being used for AI.
