Smart Glasses - balancing disability and privacy needs

 

By Helen Said, Autistic advocate, Melbourne Australia

A GetUp! petition, demanding Kmart stops selling affordable smart glasses, is gaining thousands of new signatures every day. Sponsored by Gina Martin, who successfully campaigned to outlaw upskirting in England and Wales, the petition cites legitimate concerns about smart glasses being used to covertly film women in change rooms or children at the school gate and the unauthorised uploading of such films to the internet.

While motivated by very real dangers to women and children, the campaign to limit or stall the sale of smart glasses has overlooked their vital role in providing everyday assistance to blind and vision impaired people. The glasses can assist with reading, identifying objects and navigating spaces, amongst other uses. Smart glasses specifically designed for vision impaired people can cost thousands of dollars, and might not always be funded by the NDIS. Vision Australia sells the lower cost mainstream Ray Ban smart glasses which look like normal glasses and can help vision impaired people maintain  independence and confidentiality.

Consumer and legal reform covering smart glasses shouldn't be swayed by the loudest voices. Retailers' and governments' decisions about the sale or use of smart glasses must take into account both disability and women's privacy needs. We should be both wary about the potential dangers of new technology and excited by the advances technology can bring. Women and disability rights advocates need equally strong representation in shaping laws governing the use and availability of smart glasses. New laws are needed but they must meet the needs of our whole community.


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