Lawmakers push for mandatory smart glasses recording lights

Most smart glasses available today have built-in indicator lights to let those around you know when you’re recording video or taking photos, but in the US, there’s nothing stopping manufacturers from skipping that feature in future releases. A newly introduced bill could change that, requiring smart glasses sold or used in the state of Pennsylvania to visibly indicate when users are recording.

Introduced by State Rep. Joe Ciresi, House Bill 2603 would require wearable recording devices like smart glasses to include a “visual indicator” that clearly shows when audio or video is being recorded, Gizmodo reports. The bill would also make it illegal to obscure or disable the indicator.

Per the bill, retailers selling devices like smart glasses in Pennsylvania would also be required to provide customers with information about Pennsylvania’s laws surrounding wearable recording devices “so that everyone who purchases smart glasses is aware of their responsibilities when using them.”

While comments on a post by Rep. Ciresi introducing the bill are largely supportive of the initiative, several commenters point out that people in Pennsylvania’s public spaces may still be recorded without their consent in other ways, including by both state law enforcement and the privately owned Flock surveillance network.

If passed, the proposed law would apply only within the state of Pennsylvania. In that case, manufacturers may simply opt not to sell any devices that don’t comply with the law inside the state, though users would still be subject to Pennsylvania law when using them inside state borders.