Britain's court service has introduced an official ban on Meta smart glasses in court buildings in England and Wales to prevent covert recording of proceedings, reports infohub.kz.
His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has officially prohibited bringing Meta smart glasses into criminal, civil, and family court buildings in England and Wales. All such headsets will be confiscated from visitors and participants at the entrance and returned only upon leaving the building.
Court officials reminded that photo and video recording in British courts without special permission is prohibited by law and is considered contempt of court. Unlike smartphones, which are allowed provided recording is disabled, Meta's devices have hidden cameras built into the frames. This allows unnoticeable recording of proceedings without the knowledge of those present.
The restrictions also follow a precedent where a participant in a trial attempted to use smart glasses to receive hidden prompts during cross-examination. Earlier, authorities in the state of New York introduced a similar complete ban on the use of smart glasses in courtrooms.