MEDIA RELEASE - 15 September 2026
Wollongong Greens Councillor Jess Whittaker wants the city to take proactive steps to protect people’s privacy amidst the surge of controversial smartglasses.
The often dubbed “pervert” glasses, including Facebook’s Meta glasses which enable covert recording, have become an in-demand tech Kmart’s $89 budget offering selling out in days last month.
The increased popularity has caused serious privacy concerns with the eSafety commission recently stating the “harms linked to covert recording are not hypothetical” because they are “already occurring”.
Cr Whittaker will ask council staff via a Notice of Motion (see below) at the 26th September Council meeting to investigate the practicality and enforceability of banning such devices, which are capable of covert recording, from public spaces including pools and change rooms.
The Notice of Motion will also ask staff how such a ban could be implemented and if there would be any unintended consequences.
This comes after Cr Whittaker’s federal Greens colleague Senator David Shoebridge signalled the party wants to pause the import of smart glasses and similar wearable for at least 12 months.
The moratorium would be in place until tougher privacy protections are passed into law.
"If we end up having millions of these devices in the country, there'll be no place that's free for your privacy," Senator Shoebridge told the ABC last month.
Quotes attributable to Greens Councillor Jess Whittaker
“It is pretty creepy seeing how popular these smartglasses are becoming while knowing how easily and covertly they can record others.
“Most of the time the people will not know they are being recorded and they will not know what ends up happening with the recording.
“The council has a responsibility to make sure people feel safe in its public spaces. Receiving a report about what can be done about smartglasses in public spaces is a proactive step towards addressing the issue.”
Notice of Motion – Smart Glasses and Privacy in Council Facilities
I formally move that:
The General Manager directs staff to prepare a report within 6 months on the privacy and child safety risks posed by emerging technologies such as smart glasses and other wearable devices capable of covertly recording video or audio without the consent of those being recorded.
The report should:
1. Investigate the practicality and enforceability of prohibiting the use of smart glasses and other covert recording technologies in Council facilities - including swimming pools, sporting field change rooms, public change rooms and other similar facilities.
2. Identify the relevant legal, privacy, child safety and operational considerations associated with introducing such restrictions, and if these restrictions already exist in some form relating to mobile phone recording devices.
3. Identify any potential unintended consequences of restricting these technologies, particularly for people with vision impairment or disability who may use smart glasses to assist them with their daily activities.
4. Provide recommendations on any measures council may need to take in response to this new technology, to maintain privacy and safety for council facility users.
