Smart Glasses Raise Consent Concerns in South Africa

The rapid adoption of smart glasses is creating new privacy challenges, particularly in regions where digital governance frameworks lag behind technological advancement. Sales of Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses have surged—increasing nearly threefold from 2023 to over seven million units in 2025—as these devices move into the mainstream.

Privacy Risks Exposed

The risks associated with this technology extend beyond simple surveillance. Recent incidents highlight how smart glasses can be weaponized:

  • In Kenya and Ghana, a Russian vlogger used the devices to record intimate encounters without consent, posting footage online for profit
  • A BBC investigation revealed covert filming at UK beaches, with one video receiving nearly one million views before being extorted from the victim
  • Harvard students demonstrated how streamed footage can be linked to AI facial recognition tools to identify individuals in real-time

These incidents mirror patterns already seen with smartphones—making it easier to capture and distribute images/videos of people without their knowledge or consent.

While South Africa has begun adapting its legal framework through acts like the Cybercrimes Act and POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act), these regulations were designed before widespread wearable surveillance became commonplace. Smart glasses pose particular challenges:

  • They capture biometric data in public spaces without clear consent mechanisms
  • Footage is often processed by offshore contractors, falling outside local data protection oversight
  • The devices directly challenge POPIA’s consent framework for ‘special personal information’

Opportunity for Leadership

Despite these challenges, South Africa has a unique opportunity to establish wearable AI governance standards for the continent. With its advanced economy, BRICS ties, and robust data-protection framework, the country could create a model that neighboring jurisdictions can emulate—similar to how GDPR shaped Europe’s digital privacy landscape.