Where Smart Glasses Are Banned: Every Restriction We Can Verify

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

Visitors may not bring smart glasses into the courthouse, with limited exceptions.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

An internal memo bars employees from wearing Meta's glasses in the federal workspace.

Polk County Public Schools, Florida

Students may not possess or wear smart glasses or similar recording devices in school.

“Students may not possess or wear Meta/Ray-Ban smart glasses and similar smart/wearable recording or communication devices in school.”

New York State Unified Court System

Smart glasses are prohibited in the state's courthouses.

Philadelphia First Judicial District

Glasses with any recording capability, prescription included, are not permitted in any First Judicial District courthouse, building or office without written authorization.

“Individuals wearing or possessing such devices will be denied entry.”

U.S. Air Force

Airmen may not wear smart glasses with photo, video or AI capabilities while in uniform.

“It is unauthorized to wear mirrored lenses or smart glasses with photo, video or artificial intelligence capabilities while in uniform.”

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin

Smart glasses are on the court's list of prohibited items.

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida

Smart glasses are prohibited throughout its courthouses.

“prohibited in all areas of the courthouse”

College Board (SAT)

Smart glasses and any eyewear with internet or AI features are not allowed during testing, prescription pairs included.

“smart glasses or any eyewear that provides access to the internet or to any AI feature or service”

Royal Caribbean

Smart glasses may come aboard but may not be used in the casino, spa, restrooms, locker rooms, medical areas, youth areas or crew areas.

“Smart glasses may be brought onboard; however, they may not be used in the following areas”

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Ed Markey

Not a restriction: a letter asking Meta nine questions about its camera glasses, with answers due November 25, 2026.

Illinois Supreme Court

Added smart eyewear to the statewide policy on portable electronic devices. It is not a statewide ban; outright bans are left to each circuit's chief judge.

California (SB 1130)

Would have required a recording indicator on camera glasses and limited recording in private areas of businesses. Vetoed by the governor.

“This measure defines several terms too broadly or imprecisely.”

Joint Council for Qualifications (GCSE and A level exams)

Smart glasses are listed as unauthorised material that candidates must not take into the exam room; possession alone can lead to sanctions or disqualification.

“You must not take into the exam room any unauthorised material, including: ... smart glasses”

HM Courts & Tribunals Service

Meta's glasses are prohibited in all criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales; they are taken at the entrance and returned on exit.

“There are clear restrictions on taking images or videos within courts and tribunals which is why the use of Meta glasses is prohibited.”

ATG Theatres, Soho House and Jeremy King restaurants

Wearers are asked to remove camera glasses (at ATG, during performances).

“I would never knowingly allow any invasion of guest privacy other than with the eyes we were born with.”

UK Comic-Con (Monopoly Events)

Attendees may not wear any recording device at its events, and offenders may be removed.

“we can no longer permit the wearing of any recording device at our events”

Parliamentary petition 769206

Calls for an immediate ban on the sale and promotion of smart glasses. It passed 10,000 signatures on October 5, 2026, so the government must respond; no response had been published by November 5.

“Introduce an immediate ban on the sale and promotion of smart glasses”

UK Government (Home Office)

Looking at restricting smart glasses in certain settings and restricting their sale to certain users. NHS England and the Department for Education are also reviewing wearable technology in their settings.

“The Government are already looking into options to restrict smart glasses in certain settings and restricting the sale to certain users.”

Senedd (Welsh Parliament)

The Llywydd's office is reviewing the use of smart glasses on the Senedd estate.

“A review of the use of this technology on the Senedd estate is under way”

UK Parliament (Parliamentary Estate)

House of Lords filming guidance already covers smart glasses (no recording without authorisation), and a specific review of smart glasses on the whole Parliamentary Estate is under way.

“a specific review of Parliament's policy on the use of camera, microphone and AI-enabled smart glasses on the Parliamentary Estate is currently underway.”

UK Cinema Association

Says its members are introducing policies to prohibit or restrict camera glasses, mainly over piracy. It has not named a chain with a ban in place.

“introducing policies to prohibit and/or restrict the wearing of camera-enabled smart glasses”

JD Wetherspoon

Widely reported as a ban, but the company says it has not banned the glasses. Its existing rule against filming customers or staff without permission applies to them the same way it applies to phones.

“Wetherspoon did not say that Meta glasses are banned, and we have not introduced a company policy specifically for smart glasses.”

Western Australia public schools

Smart glasses are banned on government school premises and at school events, for students, staff, parents, visitors and contractors.

“students and staff are not permitted to wear, use, charge or store smart glasses on school premises”

City of Sydney

Smart glasses may not be used at City of Sydney pools. The same resolution extends the rule to leisure centres, libraries and childcare, with that part still being implemented.

“smart glasses are not able to be used at City of Sydney pools”

Yarra City Council, Melbourne

Smart glasses barred from council pools, gyms, playgrounds and childcare.

Brisbane City Council

Bans filming people without consent at its public pools. Wearing the glasses is still allowed.

Early childhood education and care (national law)

Staff at childcare centres cannot use or carry personal devices, smart glasses included, while working directly with children.

“Examples include phones, cameras, tablet computers, smart watches, smart glasses and hard drives.”

Victoria (Ministerial Order No. 1515)

Students at every Victorian school must keep smart glasses switched off and stored during school hours.

“switched off and stored during school hours”

Victoria government schools (adults and visitors)

Nobody, parents and visitors included, may wear or use smart glasses on government school premises or at school events.

“must not be worn or used on government school premises or at school-organised events”

Australian Government (public service)

Considering rules for smart glasses in Commonwealth workplaces.

“we need clear and consistent guidance for public servants”

Hans Anders

Suspended sales of Meta's Ray-Ban glasses in the Netherlands and Belgium.

“This decision follows the ongoing public and political debate surrounding smart glasses”

Wehkamp

Stopped selling Meta's camera glasses with immediate effect.

Consumentenbond v. Meta

The Dutch consumer association is suing Meta to force design changes to its camera glasses. The hearing is set for November 26, 2026 in Amsterdam.

“De zitting is op 26 november 2026 bij de rechtbank Amsterdam.”

Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (Dutch data protection authority)

Advises owners of locations such as hospitals and courts to ban wearing and using camera glasses in their house rules.

“De AP adviseert eigenaren en beheerders van locaties in hun huisregels het dragen en gebruiken van camerabrillen te verbieden.”

European Data Protection Board

Non-binding statement on the data protection challenges of smart glasses. It does not ban them.

“Smart glasses should make their recording obvious”

CNIL (France)

Advises wearers to switch smart glasses off wherever they would be asked to switch off a phone. Guidance, not a ban.

Oslo municipal schools

AI glasses are not allowed during the school day.

“KI-briller er ikke tillatt i skoletiden”

Norwegian Government (Ministry of Digitalisation)

Plans a temporary ban on using AI glasses in selected places, such as parks, beaches, museums, shopping centres, schools, playgrounds, clinics and gyms with changing rooms. Not a total ban; a bill is still to come.

“Vi vil derfor foreslå et midlertidig forbud mot KI-briller på utvalgte steder.”

Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces

AI glasses are forbidden in all Operations, Security and High Security Zones, and members can no longer buy them with their vision-care benefit.

“There are no exceptions for these devices, even if the user claims the device is "off" or in "airplane mode."”

College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)

Having smart glasses in the exam room voids that year's exam, and wearing them also bars the student from the next year's test. The 2026 exam is November 19.