Irish Regulator Asks Facebook To Show LED Lights While Its Smart Glasses Are Recording

The LED light on Facebook Smart Glasses, must be on when used for recording and photos. (photo: facebook)

JAKARTA - Ireland's data privacy regulator on Friday, September 16 said it had asked Facebook to show that the LED indicator lights on smart glasses produced by the newly launched social media giant were an "effective means" of letting people know they were being filmed or taken a picture.

Ireland's Data Privacy Commissioner (DPC) is Facebook's main regulator under the European Union's strict data privacy laws as the company's European headquarters are based in Dublin.

Facebook's smart glasses, created in partnership with eyewear maker Ray-Ban EssilorLuxottica, allow wearers to listen to music, take calls or take short photos and videos and share them across Facebook's services using a companion app.

"While it is accepted that many devices including smartphones can record third-party individuals, it is generally the case that a camera or mobile phone appears to be the device used to record, thus putting those captured on tape on alert," the Irish regulator said in a statement.

“With glasses, there is a very small indicator light that lights up while recording. It has not been proven to DPC and Garante that comprehensive field testing carried out by Facebook or Ray-Ban to ensure the indicator LED lights up, is an effective way of providing notification," the source added.

Irish regulators said they shared concerns with Italian Data Protection Regulator Garante, who asked Facebook to clarify on September 10 to assess smart glasses for compliance with privacy laws.

He also said he wanted Facebook to run an information campaign to remind the public of how this new consumer product could lead to their imagery being less clear.