Irish DPC expresses concerns over new Facebook smart glasses

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), jointly with the Italian Data Protection Authority, has expressed concerns about the new wearable technology product Facebook View. This product consists in new smart glasses, which allow a wearer of the glasses to record short videos and take photos for posting on social media. The main concerns of the DPC deal in particular with the means by which those captured in the videos and photos can receive notice they are being recorded. Indeed, these glasses include a very small indicator light that comes on when recording is occurring. It has not been demonstrated to the DPC that comprehensive testing in the field was done by Facebook or Ray-Ban to ensure the indicator LED light is an effective means of giving notice. Accordingly, the DPC calls on Facebook to confirm and demonstrate that the LED indicator light is effective for its purpose and to run an information campaign to alert the public as to how this new consumer product may give rise to less obvious recording of their images.