Austria to launch parliamentary inquiry into use of smart glasses amid privacy concerns

Government rules out a total ban on technology, proposes restrictions on recordings in sensitive areas

Austria is set to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the use of smart glasses amid growing privacy concerns, the country's secretary of state for digitalisation said on Wednesday.

Alexander Proll presented a three-stage model aimed at regulating smart glasses, which can feature built-in cameras, microphones and artificial intelligence functions, public broadcaster ORF reported.

Under the proposed model, recordings would be prohibited in sensitive areas, including schools, kindergartens, changing rooms, toilets, courts, prisons, and police and military facilities.

Read: From smart glasses to AI pins, privacy fears challenge tech's next big bet

KI-Staatssekretär Alexander Pröll (ÖVP) sagt im oe24-Interview, wo er Smartglasses in Österreich verbieten möchte, wo sie nützlich sind und wie sich der öffentliche Raum ändert. https://t.co/hsUS7DLAwx

— oe24.at (@oe24at) October 28, 2026

Recordings in public spaces would also have to be clearly visible to others, according to the proposal.

Proll said a parliamentary inquiry would be the next step, bringing together experts in science, data protection and technology, as well as representatives of people affected by the use of smart glasses.

He ruled out a total ban on the technology, saying the government aims to allow technological progress while ensuring that people cannot be secretly filmed.

Proll also said manufacturers should be required to make recordings clearly identifiable through measures such as visible recording lights and acoustic signals.

Meanwhile, nearly 25,000 people have signed a petition calling for a ban on smart glasses, according to ORF.

The Vienna city government also urged federal authorities last week to examine a possible ban on the devices in public transportation, government offices and schools, the broadcaster reported.