Meta smart glasses are now banned from all courts in England and Wales, joining a growing list of public venues restricting the devices over privacy concerns. His Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) announced that the wearable technology will be confiscated from anyone entering judicial buildings, citing existing rules against capturing images or video without permission.
Strict Rules on Recording
Using cameras inside court buildings is strictly prohibited in the UK and can lead to prosecution for contempt of court. While lawyers and the public are permitted to bring smartphones into courtrooms, HMCTS made clear that no exception would be made for smart glasses. A spokesperson for the service told the outlet that the ban is a direct result of these clear restrictions on recording.
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Users who attempt to bring the technology inside will have it confiscated upon entry. They can only retrieve the device when they leave the building, officials said. The policy mirrors similar measures in other jurisdictions, such as New York, where the unified court system has barred smart glasses to ensure individuals cannot surreptitiously record proceedings.
Contempt of court carries severe consequences. Last year, the company sold 7 million pairs of the glasses, which retail between £269 and £469. As the technology becomes more ubiquitous, legal institutions are increasingly testing the boundaries of what is acceptable to wear while participating in the justice system.
Controversy and Past Incidents
The ban follows a specific incident earlier this year involving a claimant in the High Court. Judge Raquel Agnello KC observed Laimonas Jakštys wearing smart glasses during a case regarding a property company directorship. The judge accused him of receiving “coaching” through the glasses during cross-examination, though Jakštys denied using the device to answer questions or connecting it to his phone.
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Similar scrutiny has fallen on high-profile trials, including one in California where Meta’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, was in attendance. Security team members wearing the glasses were threatened with contempt of court by Judge Carolyn B Kuhl, who warned that any recording would be illegal.
The technology has faced criticism outside the courtroom as well, with devices sometimes being labeled “pervert glasses” due to fears they can film people, particularly women, without consent. Wetherspoons and other venues in the UK have already implemented their own bans on the items. Meta stated that the company does not want to comment on the specific court restriction but noted that the glasses feature a pulsing light when recording and include tamper detection technology to prevent surreptitious use.
