South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission issued guidance on Nov. 9 as smart glasses spread, warning that devices that look like ordinary eyewear can use cameras and microphones to record without an obvious filming gesture.

Because smart glasses combine cameras, microphones and sensors with generative AI, recordings may move from the device to phones, cloud systems, AI models and other services.

That makes recording hard for bystanders to detect: indicator lights may go unnoticed or be covered, and some glasses can record even when they are not being worn.

The commission also raised the risk that people’s faces or conversations could be used to train AI or shared on social media without their knowledge.

For users, the commission recommended telling people when they may be captured, avoiding prohibited or restricted filming locations, and stopping if someone objects.

Before setting up a device, users should check what personal information it collects and how it will be used, consent only after reviewing those details, and turn off functions they do not need.

Unauthorised filming may infringe portrait rights or, depending on what and how it records, violate laws on sexual crimes, information and communications networks, or communications privacy; recording to cheat on an exam may also lead to sanctions.

The commission urged manufacturers to make recording status easy to recognise and to build privacy protections into devices, while service providers should clearly explain data collection, use and processing.

Companies must meet legal requirements, including obtaining prior consent before using collected personal information to train AI.

The commission plans to issue a Smart Glasses Personal Information Protection Guideline this year, setting out responsibilities for users, manufacturers and service providers.

It will further analyze the issues, consult the public and work with the Ministry of Science and ICT and other agencies on privacy rules for emerging technologies, including wearable devices and physical AI.

The guidance arrives as the market accelerates: global shipments reached 8.7 million units last year, up 322% from the year before, while 360iResearch projects the market to grow from $3.05 billion in 2026 to $10.58 billion in 2032.