Camera-equipped smart glasses could face restrictions at Byron Shire’s public pools, libraries and childcare facilities under a proposal aimed at protecting people from being recorded without their knowledge.
Greens councillor Michelle Lowe has put forward a notice of motion asking Council staff to investigate a prohibition and report back on how it could be implemented.
Councillors will consider the proposal at their October 15 meeting.
The proposed restrictions would cover Council workplaces and offices, swimming pools, aquatic centres, change rooms, childcare facilities and libraries, applying to staff, councillors, contractors and members of the public.
Cr Lowe’s supporting statement argues that glasses incorporating cameras and microphones create particular risks because they can look like ordinary eyewear, allowing recording without an obvious phone or camera being raised.
She highlights the potential for images of children at pools to be captured and distributed without parents or carers knowing.
‘This is particularly important for children, who are not in a position to meaningfully control the recording or subsequent distribution of their image,’ Cr Lowe writes.
The proposed approach would cover equivalent devices from different manufacturers, rather than targeting only Meta’s smart glasses.
It would also provide exemptions or adjustments for people who need the technology because of disability or accessibility requirements, with safeguards for other users’ privacy.
Staff would examine conditions of entry, signage, training, enforcement procedures and the legal and financial implications.
Council’s legal comments describe regulation of the devices as patchy and suggest drawing on other councils’ experience.
The child safety coordinator notes that Sandhills Early Childhood Centre already restricts personal phones, recording devices and smart watches.
The motion also seeks Council support for nationally consistent privacy and child-safety protections.
If supported, the proposal would trigger investigation. It would not immediately impose a ban, with staff first required to advise Council on implementation.
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