Newsom vetoes California smart glasses privacy bill

As proposed, SB-1130 would have prohibited people from using wearables to secretly record others in private areas of businesses, including changing rooms and doctors' offices, the Associated Press noted. It also would have required manufacturers of wearables to include an indicator that is on when the devices record video or audio, though many already do, and would have banned the sale of technology designed to mask a recording light or sound. Engadget reported that someone found guilty of secretly recording others would have faced fines of up to $1,500 and/or a prison sentence, while companies making wearables without a recording indicator, or making technology designed to block such indicators, would have faced fines of up to $2,500 per violation. TechNet, an advocacy group representing notable tech companies, opposed the law.

Newsom said in a letter to lawmakers that he declined to sign the draft law because it defines wearable recording devices "too broadly or imprecisely" and that this could lead to confusion and unintended consequences, according to TechCrunch. In a letter to the State Senate, he wrote that certain language used in the bill was too broad. "For example, the bill's definition of 'wearable recording device' could include certain smartwatches or other worn devices widely used in public spaces and capable of recording which could lead to significant confusion and unintended consequences," Newsom added. He also said the proposed bill includes protections that already exist in California law.

California already bans people from using an electronic device to record others in areas where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, according to Engadget. The state also has a two-party consent law that requires both participants of a conversation, including over the phone, to agree for it to be recorded.

TechCrunch reported that the bill sought to prevent people from being recorded in public places without their explicit consent amid a rising number of wearable products containing cameras and microphones that always listen and record everything nearby, such as internet-connected glasses made by Meta and Snap. Meta sold more than 7 million wearable glasses last year alone. Several other hardware wearables, such as AI-powered pendants, have launched with mixed reactions. The bill's author, California state senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, was quoted by ABC News as saying that the bill aimed to help California respond to the rapid rollout of always-listening technology.

Critics and consumers have dubbed the controversial wearables "pervert glasses" following multiple reports of people recording and harassing people. Apple announced last month that its latest Apple Watch software will include an always-listening feature that allows wearers to replay a transcript of the past 15 seconds and also recap and summarize conversations from the day. TechCrunch also noted that countries like Norway are seeking to potentially ban the technology.