A University of Sydney study analyzed 350 publicly available Instagram videos from pickup artist communities from 2023 to 2025 and found smart glasses are being used to covertly film women in public and share the footage online, enabling harassment and doxxing.

The research notes a shift toward discreet point-of-view recording that is hard to detect, with videos taken in gyms, workplaces, shops, and campuses despite discomfort or lack of consent.

Experts call for stronger platform accountability, clearer design requirements for wearables, and government regulation to prevent normalisation and widespread harm.

Consent and privacy concerns are central, arguing that current privacy laws don’t adequately address continuous recording in public or semi-public spaces, hindering enforcement despite real harms.

Experts urge Big Tech to slow the release of new smart glasses to let regulation catch up and push for clearer signals about when recording is occurring to protect bystanders.

Officials and public figures respond with heightened attention, including requests for the Privacy Commissioner to prioritize the issue and address harms to women and children.

Market context shows low-cost smart-glasses models priced around $89 have rapidly entered the market and sold out, signaling brisk uptake amid privacy concerns.

Advocates warn wearable glasses could normalise non-consensual filming and potentially facilitate exploitation of women and other vulnerable groups.

Global sharing of footage on social media amplifies harm, creating a second layer of abuse through uploads and livestreams and increased personal data exposure.

The research is funded by the Australian Government via the Australian Research Council, with authors stressing that findings reflect researchers’ views rather than official policy.

Smart glasses can record video, audio, and location with minimal visual cues, making consent and opt-out difficult for those filmed.

Regulatory gaps are highlighted, urging urgent privacy and consent laws in Australia to address harms from smart glasses and to hold tech companies accountable for monetizing these technologies.