A ban on the use of smart glasses with artificial intelligence features in schools has come into force in Oslo, the capital of Norway.
The decision taken by Oslo Municipality covers all education levels from primary school to high school. The ban will not be limited to class hours and will apply throughout the school day.
The reason behind the decision is that since the cameras and microphones are placed inside ordinary glasses, people around them have difficulty in realizing that they are being watched, and the risks this may pose to the privacy of students.
Oslo Municipality Deputy Mayor for Education Julie Remen Midtgarden reacted harshly to the risk of secret recording posed by smart glasses.
Midtgarden stated that one of the world's largest technology companies has launched a product that makes it difficult for people to realize that they are being recorded with a camera, and argued that local governments should take action on this issue.
Midtgarden said, "We do not accept our children being extras in Meta's data collection in Oslo."
Midtgarden, who was elected from the conservative Høyre Party, also criticized the Norwegian government's approach to smart glasses.
While the Norwegian government has initiated work to regulate smart glasses more strictly, it has announced that features that allow other people's faces to be recognized, especially in public spaces, may be banned. The government also announced that an expert group will be established to examine the privacy impacts of new technologies.
Midtgarden, on the other hand, argued that faster action was needed in the current situation and said, "These glasses are sold in Norway today and are already used in schools. Just examining the problem does not mean taking action."
The new generation smart glasses, especially the models developed in collaboration with Meta and Ray-Ban, have a design similar to ordinary glasses when viewed from the outside.
However, the devices contain hardware such as cameras, microphones and speakers. Users can take photos and videos, listen to music, make phone calls and interact with artificial intelligence-supported assistants with the glasses. Some models also offer features such as foreign language translation and displaying digital information in the user's field of view.
The issue that experts draw most attention to is that it becomes difficult for people around them to understand when they are being recorded. Norwegian researchers point out that it may be difficult to comply with current personal data and privacy rules even in ordinary use of devices.
Norwegian Minister of Digitalization and Public Administration Karianne Tung announced on August 25 that she wanted smart glasses and similar devices to be subject to stricter rules than the current regulations.
Tung stated that banning features that allow people to be identified with facial recognition systems without their knowledge in public spaces is among the options. He also called on public and private sector organizations to set rules regarding the use of smart glasses in their own areas.
The Norwegian Data Protection Authority also stated that the expert group to be established by the government should not only examine the current regulations, but also evaluate the bans and restrictions on the use of smart glasses when necessary.
The Municipality of Oslo, on the other hand, took measures at the local level to protect the privacy of students by resorting to a direct ban in schools without waiting for national regulations.
